协同刺激因子B7家族成员的抑制性受体与负向免疫调节

维持淋巴细胞的正常功能需要正负向协同刺激信号的同时参与。两种信号决定了T、B细胞对抗原特异性刺激的敏感性和应答方式。二者的平衡使机体在避免对自身抗原产生不适当反应的同时,又能对外来抗原显示足够强的应答能力。多年来有关协同信号的研究,对相关分子结构和功能的认识已大大深化,特别是其中的B7分子及其受体家族。该家族的负向调控作用是通过其抑制性受体来实现的。目前已发现3种抑制性受体：细胞毒性T细胞相关分子(CTLA-4)、程序性死亡分子(PD-1)和B、T细胞弱化因子(BTLA)。对其效应机制的研究,将对免疫调节以及自身免疫、肿瘤免疫和移植免疫产生深远影响。     

CD28以外的T细胞协同刺激分子及其功能

CD28是协同TCR诱导T细胞产生高水平IL－2,促进T细胞生存及防止T细胞凋亡的主要协同刺激分子,但并非所有的T细胞均表达CD28,提示T细胞活化尚有其它协同刺激途径的存在。最近研究表明,其它一些协同刺激分子,如4－1BB、OX40、ICOS、LFA－1等在不同的T细胞亚群和T细胞活化的不同阶段,呈现不同的表达和介导不同的生物学功能。     

T、B淋巴细胞的凋亡及其与疾病的关系

细胞凋亡是免疫系统的一个重要的事件,它凋控着淋巴细胞的成熟、受体组分的选择及内环境的稳定。其中T、B淋巴细胞在各自的发育过程中都发生大量的细胞凋亡。Fas/FasL信号途径、NoTCH信号途径是免疫系统细胞凋亡的两条最主要的途径。此外,一些共刺激分子（如CD40）在T、B淋巴细胞存活及凋亡的选择上也发挥着重要作用。凋亡同细胞的生长、分化一样,对免疫细胞发挥正常功能是必不可少的。因此,免疫系统细胞凋亡的脱轨势必会给机体带来严重的影响,导致一系列相关疾病的发生。     

协同刺激分子与疾病

在T细胞表面受体中,除TCR外,协同刺激分子在调节T细胞的免疫反应中起关键性作用,目前较熟悉的协同刺激分子及其配体有：CD40／CD40L、B7—1／B7-2-CD28／CTLA-4、ICOS—B7RP-1。最近人们又发现了CD2-LFA3、CD5-CD5L、4—1BB／4—1BBL、HAS等新的协同刺激分子组合,它们在器官移植、肿瘤治疗、自身免疫病的治疗方面有重要作用;在基础研究中则可用于T细胞与B细胞分化、活化机制、抗原递呈、协同刺激机制、免疫耐受、移植排异反应和自体免疫等的研究。     

抗CD3/抗CD20双特异性单链抗体介导的B淋巴瘤细胞体外裂解作用

在构建并成功表达抗CD3/抗CD20双特异性单链抗体(bscCD3×CD20)的基础上,对其在体外介导T淋巴细胞杀伤Ramous B淋巴瘤细胞的生物活性进行了分析。Annexin V/PI(AV/PI)染色和形态学观察及扫描电镜分析表明bscCD3×CD20介导的B淋巴瘤细胞体外裂解作用是通过先诱导靶细胞凋亡而继发坏死、裂解的方式实现的。非放射性细胞毒性分析表明bscCD3×CD20介导的T淋巴细胞杀伤活性随抗体浓度、反应时间和效靶比的升高而增加。在抗体浓度为5μg/mL、作用时间为24h、效靶比为10∶1时,杀伤活性最高可达87·3%。采用美国SuperArray人细胞凋亡芯片检测细胞杀伤起始阶段细胞凋亡相关基因的表达水平变化,许多凋亡相关基因的表达均发生了不同程度的上调或下调,其中ATM基因表达升高了187倍,p53基因升高了15倍,提示ATM-p53途径可能是bscCD3×CD20介导T细胞诱导B淋巴瘤细胞凋亡的主要途径。     

Th17细胞及其在器官移植排斥反应中的作用

最近发现的辅助T细胞17（T helper cell 17,Th-17）是不同于辅助T细胞1型（Thelpercell1,Th-1）,辅助T细胞2型（Thelpercell2,Th-2）及调节性T细胞（regulatory T cell,Treg）的T细胞亚群,有其独立的分化和发育调节,且互相影响。它由初始T细胞在转化生长因子B（transforming growth factor B,TGF—B）与白细胞介素6（interleukin6,IL-6）、白细胞介素23（interleukin23,1L23）联合作用及转录因子维甲酸相关孤儿素受体γt（retinoic acid related orphan nuclear receptorm,ROR-γt）的协同诱导精细的调节下分化而来。其主要分泌的生物效应分子白细胞介素17（Interleukin17,IL-17）是一种促炎性反应细胞因子,在免疫和造血系统等发挥重要的作用。而器官移植排斥反应的本质就是炎性反应。因此深入研究Th-17细胞分化及其相关生物效应,有助认识其在器官移植排斥中的病理机制,也为治疗移植排斥反应提供新的靶点和途径。     

基于荧光检测的新型细胞传感器

主要介绍了一类基于荧光检测的新型细胞传感器,这类传感器利用免疫细胞表面分子特异性识别、结合抗原的特性和生物(或化学)发光技术,通过检测荧光信号在数分钟内达到检测病原体或其他抗原的目的.这类传感器的发光原理主要是利用钙离子敏感型化学荧光探针发光,如Fluo-4等,或钙离子敏感型发光蛋白发光,如水母发光蛋白、绿色荧光蛋白等.现在已经应用的主要是B细胞传感器和肥大细胞传感器.这类传感器具有灵敏度高、检测准确、反应速度快的优点.同时又存在交叉反应、细胞不易保存等不足之处.这类传感器在疾病诊断、环境监测、生物战剂检测等领域具有较大的应用前景.     

B细胞Toll样受体的表达和功能

Toll样受体(TLRs)广泛表达于固有免疫和获得性免疫系统.它们通过识别内外源性致病原含有的保守病原体相关模式分子,启动宿主防卫反应.TLRs也是沟通固有免疫和获得性免疫反应,尤其是T细胞介导的细胞免疫反应的重要桥梁.新近研究表明,几乎所有亚型TLR均表达在B淋巴细胞,不仅参与B细胞增殖、成熟和功能调节,而且在系统性红斑狼疮和慢性淋巴细胞白血病等疾病发生过程中发挥重要调节作用.以TLRs为靶点,调节B细胞介导的免疫反应,可能成为具有崭新应用前景的免疫治疗途径和方法.     

LAG-3分子的研究进展

淋巴细胞活化基因-3(lymphocyte activation gene-3,LAG-3,CD223)是免疫球蛋白超家族的成员之一,是对淋巴细胞具有抑制作用的分子。LAG-3定位于人12号染色体,与CD4具有密切关系。研究发现猪LAG-3分子的结构和表达模式在哺乳动物物种中是共有的,并且可溶性的猪LAG-3对控制人-猪异种T细胞免疫反应有作用。LAG-3分子主要表达于活化的NK细胞、T淋巴细胞表面,与HLA-II高亲和力结合。Tr细胞是具有调节调节功能的T细胞亚群,发现Tr细胞表面标志CD49b和LAG-3可在人和小鼠Tr1细胞表面表达。CD49b和LAG-3的发现,使得在体内对Tr细胞进行跟踪具有可行性,纯化Tr1细胞作为一种细胞治疗方法具有可行性。LAG-3通过对胰腺中抗原特异性T细胞增殖的选择性抑制,可以使用LAG-3作为1型糖尿病病情进展的一种新的替代标记,检测LAG-3分子可能成为T细胞定向免疫治疗效果评估的一种方法。肿瘤浸润的CD8+T细胞表面LAG-3表达上调,LAG-3的抑制作用在HCC的细胞免疫应答中发挥着重要的作用,可见阻断LAG-3分子的表达有可能成为治疗肿瘤的新方法。慢性病毒感染性疾病时常常发生T细胞衰竭,T细胞通过LAG-3分子的限制作用和MHCⅡ类信号分子的表达其抑制功能,这有利于慢性病毒感染性疾病的治疗。疟原虫感染增加了抑制性受体LAG-3的表达,疟原虫感染引起的特异性T细胞功能衰竭可通过抑制性疗法来治疗。LAG-3的表达可能有利于黑色素瘤的增殖,阻断LAG-3-MHCⅡ类分子相互作用的化合物可用于黑色素瘤的治疗。此外,使用LAG-3毒性抗体选择性的靶向激活T细胞可阻碍T细胞参与的迟发型超敏反应。     

NO在植物中的调控作用

一氧化氮（NO）是一种易扩散的生物活性分子,是生物体内重要的信号分子。植物细胞通过NO合酶、硝酸还原酶、或非生化反应途径产生NO。NO参与植物生长发育调控和对生物与非生物环境胁迫的应答反应,大量证据表明NO是植物防御反应中的关键信使,其信号转导机制也受到越来越多的关注。本文主要通过讨论NO的产生、对植物生长周期的影响、在植物代谢中的信号调节以及参与细胞凋亡来阐述NO在植物中的作用。     

Premature expression of cyclin B sensitizes human HT1080 cells to caffeine-induced premature mitosis

Eukaryotic cells do not normally initiate mitosis when DNA replication is blocked. This cell cycle checkpoint can be bypassed in some cells, however, by treatment with caffeine and certain other chemicals. Although S-phase arrested hamster cells undergo mitosis-specific events such as premature chromosome condensation (PCC) and nuclear envelope disassembly when exposed to caffeine, human cells show little response under the same conditions. To further investigate the molecular basis of this cell type specificity, a panel of hamster/human whole cell hybrids was created. The frequency of caffeine-induced PCC and the level of cyclin B-associated H1 kinase activity in the various hybrids were directly correlated with the extent of cyclin B synthesis during S-phase arrest. To determine whether expression of cyclin B alone could sensitize human cells to caffeine, cyclin B1 was transiently overexpressed in S-phase arrested HT1080 cells. The transfected cell population displayed a 5-fold increase in the frequency of caffeine-induced PCC when compared with normal HT1080 cells, roughly equivalent to the frequency of cells expressing exogenous epitope-tagged cyclin B1. In addition, immunofluorescent microscopy showed that individual cells overexpressing cyclin B1 during S phase arrest underwent PCC when exposed to caffeine. These results provide direct evidence that premature expression of cyclin B1 can make cells more vulnerable to chemically-induced uncoupling of mitosis from the completion of DNA replication. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

microRNA在多能干细胞向心肌细胞分化中的作用

microRNAs(miRNAs)是长约22 nt的非编码RNAs,广泛参与细胞的增殖、分化、病变、修复和凋亡等多种生命活动．多能干细胞（pluripotent stem cells）是指体外具有自我更新和多向分化潜能的细胞,在一定条件下可被定向诱导分化为多种细胞类型．miRNAs在多能干细胞中表达丰富,并通过调控基因表达影响其自我更新及分化．由多能干细胞向心肌细胞分化的方法主要有3种,即拟胚体形成法、与内胚层细胞共培养法和特定诱导物添加法．虽然这3种方法均可成功诱导多能干细胞向心肌细胞分化,但重复率很低. 所以,人们把研究的视野逐渐转向miRNAs--这个广泛参与细胞生命活动的小分子物质．大量研究表明,在多能干细胞中,不同的miRNAs可通过打靶不同基因影响其向心肌细胞分化．在间充质干细胞中,miR-1、miR-133 和miR-499可分别打靶Hes-1、SRF和Pdcd4| 而在胚胎干细胞中,miR-1和miR-499分别打靶 Hand2和Pacs2促进其向心肌细胞分化．miRNAs在多能干细胞向心肌分化作用机制的研究必将促进再生医学在心脏疾病治疗上的应用．     

The two faces of mast cells in food allergy and allergic asthma: The possible concept of Yin Yang

The purpose of this review is to discuss the role of mast cells in allergic inflammation. We have focused on inflammation associated with allergic asthma and food allergy. Mast cells are ‘first line of defense’ innate/adaptive immune cells and are widely distributed in tissues in surfaces exposed to the environment. Especially in allergic settings mast cells are extensively studied, as they can be activated to release a wide range of mediators by allergen-IgE specific triggers. In addition, in allergic inflammation mast cells can also be activated non-allergic triggers. Recent studies revealed that mast cells, besides the classical role of pro-inflammatory effector cell, have also emerged as modulators of allergic sensitization and down-regulators of allergic inflammation. Therefore, mast cells can be regarded as ‘Ying Yan’ modulators in allergic responses in intestinal tract and airways. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Mast Cells in Inflammation.     

Markers for hypersensitive response and senescence show distinct patterns of expression

Controlled cellular suicide is an important process that can be observed in various organs during plant development. From the generation of proper sexual organs in monoecious plants to the hypersensitive response (HR) that occurs during incompatible pathogen interactions, programmed cell death (PCD) can be readily observed. Although several biochemical and morphological parameters have been described for various types of cell death in plants, the relationships existing between those different types of PCD events remain unclear. In this work, we set out to examine if two early molecular markers of HR cell death (HIN1 and HSR203J) as well as a senescence marker (SAG12) are coordinately induced during these processes. Our result indicates that although there is evidence of some cross-talk between both cell death pathways, spatial and temporal characteristics of activation for these markers during hypersensitive response and senescence are distinct. These observations indicate that these markers are relatively specific for different cell death programs. Interestingly, they also revealed that a senescence-like process seems to be triggered at the periphery of the HR necrotic lesion. This suggests that cells committed to die during the HR might release a signal able to induce senescence in the neighboring cells. This phenomenon could correspond to the establishment of a second barrier against pathogens. Lastly, we used those cell death markers to better characterize cell death induced by copper and we showed that this abiotic induced cell death presents similarities with HR cell death.     

莴苣胚囊细胞分离

用酶解和解剖方法分离了莴苣的卵细胞,助细胞,中央细胞和合子。莴苣子房先在酶液中酶解40～50min,然后在不含酶的分离液中用解剖针解剖子房。在解剖出的胚囊中,可看到卵细胞,两个助细胞和中央细胞的轮廓。将胚囊的合点端切破,轻轻挤压胚囊的珠孔端,四个细胞即可逸出。在最佳条件下,90min可从40个子房中分离出29个胚囊,进一步从中分离出11个卵细胞。分离出的胚囊细胞用显微操作仪收集备用。莴苣卵细胞的成功分离为进行离体受精探索创造了条件。     

DNA-dependent RNA polymerases of the three orders of methanogens

The DNA-dependent RNA polymerases of members of the three orders of methanogens were purified and their enzymatic properties described. The enzymes consist of 7-8 polypeptides. Although these differed in molecular mass, the four heaviest components could be allied to components of the enzyme of Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum, W by cross-reaction with antibodies directed against the denatured polypeptides of this enzyme. The antisera against native RNA polymerases isolated from representatives of the different orders, on the other hand, gave rise to serological cross-reaction between different genera but not between different families and orders. These antisera are thus useful for taxonomic purposes. The RNA polymerase of the extreme thermophile Methanothermus fervidus shows a rather low thermostability. No factors having a stabilizing influence on the enzyme could be detected.     

反义封闭NGAL基因表达对SHEEC食管癌细胞微丝骨架的影响

为了研究反义封闭NGAL基因表达对SHEEC食管癌细胞微丝骨架以及肿瘤细胞生物学行为的影响,以不同长度NGAL基因片段反义表达载体和硫代修饰反义寡核苷酸单链片段转染SHEEC食管癌细胞,通过G418筛选,建立一系列旨在封闭SHEEC食管癌细胞NGAL基因表达的亚细胞克隆.在细胞内F-肌动蛋白(F-actin)及DNA荧光双标记基础上,通过流式细胞术、激光共聚焦显微镜扫描术等技术手段检测封闭反义NGAL基因表达后, SHEEC食管癌细胞中F-actin和DNA含量、F-actin形态结构以及肿瘤细胞生物学行为的变化特征.结果显示,反义封闭NGAL基因表达后,SHEEC食管癌细胞F-actin的含量明显降低,与永生化食管上皮细胞SHEE相近,但细胞分裂增殖指数未见明显变化.表明反义封闭NGAL基因表达对SHEEC食管癌细胞的微丝骨架有明显影响,而对SHEEC食管癌细胞的分裂增殖影响不明显.激光共聚焦显微镜扫描观测显示,反义封闭NGAL基因表达可使SHEEC食管癌细胞F-actin分布均匀,F-actin小体减少,细胞间连接重新建立,结构较紧密,主要形态结构特征与SHEE细胞趋于一致.提示反义封闭NGAL基因表达可对SHEEC食管癌细胞的微丝骨架F-actin产生明显影响,推测癌细胞的微丝骨架F-actin可能是NGAL基因在SHEEC食管癌细胞中发挥功能的一种作用环节.     

Mouse embryonic stem cell-derived feeder cells support the growth of their own mouse embryonic stem cells

Feeder cells are usually used in culturing embryonic stem cells (ESCs) to maintain their undifferentiated and pluripotent status. To test whether mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) may be a source of feeder cells to support their own growth, 48 fibroblast-like cell lines were isolated from the same mouse embryoid bodies (mEBs) at three phases (10th day, 15th day, 20th day), and five of them, mostly derived from 15th day mEBs, were capable of maintaining mESCs in an undifferentiated and pluripotent state over 10 passages, even up to passage 20. mESCs cultured on the feeder system derived from these five cell lines expressed alkaline phosphatase and specific mESCs markers, including SSEA-1, Oct-4, Nanog, and formed mEBs in vitro and teratomas in vivo. These results suggest that mEB-derived fibroblasts (mEB-dFs) could serve as feeder cells that could sustain the undifferentiated growth and pluripotency of their own mESCs in culture. This study not only provides a novel feeder system for mESCs culture, avoiding a lot of disadvantages of commonly used mouse embryonic fibroblasts as feeder cells, but also indicates that fibroblast-like cells derived from mESCs take on different functions. Investigating the molecular mechanisms of these different functional fibroblast-like cells to act on mESCs will contribute to the understanding of the mechanisms of mESCs self-renewal.