bFGF诱导MEF生成的条件培养基对人胚胎干细胞生长的影响

为了探讨低浓度bFGF诱导小鼠胚胎成纤维细胞（MEF）生成的条件培养基对人胚胎干细胞（hESC）生长分化的影响,以系列浓度的bFGF作用于MEF上,收集条件培养基（bFGF—MCM）,用于hES2细胞的无滋养层培养。以不添加bFGF而收集的MEF条件培养基（MCM）为阴性对照．同样浓度的bFGF添加于SR培养基（bFGF—SR）为空白对照。通过形态学特征和碱性磷酸酶染色法对hES2的生长分化状态进行评估。结果发现．培养一周内,未分化hES2克隆的比率,阴性对照为23％：空白对照组为13％-31％。当bFGF浓度为0．1,0．3,1,4ng／ml时,bFGF—MCM组未分化克隆的比率分别为44％,74％,77％和78％,与阴性和空白对照组相比,未分化克隆的比率均有不同程度提高．差异有统计学意义（P〈0．01）。该结果揭示了经bFGF诱导的MEF细胞所产生的条件培养基具备了维持hES细胞正常生长而不分化的能力。对bFGF—MCM的深入分析．有望更好地了解hESC的生长与分化机制。     

TGF-β1经DNMT1调控肺癌A549细胞对顺铂的敏感性

转化生长因子-β1(transforming growth factor-beta 1,TGF-β1)与肿瘤的发生、发展以及凋亡关系密切,DNA甲基化关键酶DNMTs(DNA methyltransferases)在肿瘤发生及耐药中发挥重要作用,SPARC(secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine)常因异常甲基化而表达下调。为探究肺癌对顺铂耐受的分子机制,该研究以肺腺癌A549细胞为研究对象,通过外源TGF-β1作用A549细胞,利用RT-PCR检测TGF-β1作用后DNMTs和SPARC m RNA水平的变化以及A549细胞增殖能力和对顺铂敏感性的影响。结果显示:5 ng/m L、10 ng/m L TGF-β1作用24 h后,A549细胞DNMT1 m RNA表达均显著下调(P0.01、P0.001),SPARC m RNA表达均显著上调(P0.001、P0.001);5 ng/m L、10 ng/m L TGF-β1作用后的A549细胞对顺铂的IC50均显著低于对照组[(12.34±0.36)μmol/L、(10.93±0.69)μmol/L,对照组为(21.54±1.21)μmol/L;P0.01、P0.01];5 ng/m L、10 ng/m L TGF-β1作用后的A549细胞在顺铂环境中,其克隆数显著低于空白对照;15μmol/L顺铂作用24 h时,5 ng/m L、10 ng/m L TGF-β1组细胞凋亡分数均显著高于空白对照(P0.05、P0.01)。结果提示:TGF-β1可下调A549细胞DNMT1的表达,进而上调抑癌基因SPARC并增加其对顺铂的敏感性,成功逆转肺腺癌A549细胞的恶性表型。该研究为进一步阐明肺癌对顺铂的耐受机制提供了新的思路。     

通过模拟胚胎微环境逆转肿瘤的研究进展

肿瘤的发生和发展源于一小部分具有自我更新能力的肿瘤干细胞。胚胎干细胞也具有自我更新和多向分化的特性。胚胎干细胞特异的基质微环境能够提供干细胞正常生长的调控分子,在细胞不断更新的情况下,使增殖和分化达到平衡。受胚胎干细胞调节的基质或胚胎微环境作用于肿瘤细胞,可以使肿瘤细胞获得更多的分化表型,显著降低其恶性程度,抑制肿瘤细胞的侵袭行为。进一步的分子机制研究发现,在肿瘤细胞中高表达的Nodal蛋白会抑制肿瘤细胞分化,而胚胎干细胞分泌的糖基化Lefty蛋白可以负反馈调节Nodal蛋白的作用,从而降低肿瘤细胞的恶性程度。利用组织工程来模拟胚胎干细胞微环境,保留Lefty蛋白,从而逆转肿瘤的方法具有广阔的前景。     

TGF-β/Smad通路对造血干细胞的调控作用

造血干细胞(hematopoietic stem cells,HSCs)是典型的成体干细胞,造血系统的稳定依靠造血干细胞正确的自我更新、增殖和分化。TGF-β超家族包括TGF-β、骨生成蛋白(BMP)和激活素,可通过Smad蛋白对造血干细胞进行调节。TGF-β/Smad通路可通过降低CDK4的表达、增加p21蛋白表达和改变p27分布,将造血干细胞阻断于G1期;通过上调CD34表达,抑制造血干细胞的分化。但也有不同的观点,认为TGF-β对HSCs的调节与Smads无关,TGF-β并非通过调控p21和p27抑制HSCs的增殖,TGF-β/Smad通路对维持HSCs静止状态无关。     

Lefty1对小鼠胚胎干细胞分化过程的影响

目的:研究Lefty1在小鼠胚胎干细胞分化过程中的作用。方法:根据染色质免疫沉淀测序结果,在临近Lefty1转录起始位点以及与之相距10 kb的上游区域有TGF-β信号通路Smad2/3蛋白的四个结合区域,通过CRISPR/Cas9方法获得四个区域敲除的单克隆细胞,利用荧光实时定量PCR(qRT-PCR)检测各细胞中Lefty1的转录水平,并用TGF-β信号通路的激活剂AC和抑制剂SB分别处理敲除的细胞,检测其对TGF-β信号的响应,最后通过胚状体形成实验,检测敲除细胞系在中内胚层分化过程中的标志分子Gsc和Mixl1的表达。结果:利用CRISPR/Cas9方法成功获得不同区域敲除的单克隆细胞,与野生型E14细胞相比,四种区域敲除的细胞中Lefty1 RNA含量明显降低,并且在干细胞状态和分化状态下,敲除细胞系对TGF-β信号的响应减弱。在胚状体形成的实验中,与野生型E14细胞相比,敲除细胞系在分化过程中Lefty1表达的基础水平明显降低,中内胚层分化的标志分子Gsc和Mixl1转录水平也明显下降。结论:在胚胎干细胞中,Lefty1转录起始位点附近以及上游10 kb的这四段区域通过TGF-β信号通路对Lefty1的转录发挥调控作用,从而影响中内胚层分化过程中的标志分子Gsc和Mixl1的表达。     

龙血竭提取物有效成分剑叶龙血素A小鼠药动学研究

目的:选取中药广西龙血竭提取物(EDB)中有效成分之一的剑叶龙血素A(2,6-三甲氧基-4'-羟基二氢查耳酮)作为考察对象,研究其药动学规律,对龙血竭临床用药具有一定的指导意义.方法:建立实验小鼠血浆中剑叶龙血素A含量的高效液相色谱测定方法,测定给药后不同时间点血浆中剑叶龙血素A的浓度.通过药动学软件3P87进行数据处理,得出剑叶龙血素A的相关药动学参数.结果:剑叶龙血素A血药浓度高效液相色谱测定方法的线性范围为50-500ng/ml,高中低三种浓度回收率分别是114.80±2.86、103.60±4.38、101.80±2.12,最小检测浓度为10ng/ml,日内差为1.28%、日间差为2.26%、精密度(RSD)小于3%;剑叶龙血素A的药动学参数是:T(peak)为77.73min、C(max)为224.99ng/ml、T1/2Ke为72.91 min、T1/2Ka为40.94min、V/F(C)为1.019(mg/kg)/(ng/ml)、AUC为49553.47(ng/ml)*min.结论:建立了小鼠血浆中剑叶龙血素A高效液相色谱测定方法;EDB口服后剑叶龙血素A药动学为一室模型,有较大的吸收利用率,其消除半衰期为吸收半衰期的1.78倍,是吸收比消除快的药物.     

人胚胎干细胞和分化细胞差别基因的筛选

人类胚胎干细胞(human embryonic stem cell,hESC)在增殖过程中如何保持未分化状态是干细胞生物学的核心问题之一,已有的LIF通路、Oct-4因子及Nanog基因的作用还不能对这一问题做出全面的解释。为进一步了解维持hESC未分化状态的机制,采用自行建立培养的hESC及分化的hESC细胞克隆(differentiated hESC,dhESC),应用抑制消减杂交(Suppression Subtractive Hybridization,SSH)结合反向cDNA斑点杂交技术,筛选出在hESC高表达、在dhESC中低表达或不表达的表达序列标签(Expressed Sequence Tag,EST)共105个。通过与GenBank比较,显示其中76个EST代表61个已知基因,18个EST代表15个假想基因,另有11个属于未知EST。选取其中8个克隆进行半定量RT-PCR分析,证实其中7个克隆在hESC中高表达,在dhESC中低表达或不表达。结果表明,hESC分化前后涉及多个基因的差异表达,对这些在hESC中高表达、在dhESC中低表达或不表达基因的进一步功能研究为阐明维持hESC未分化状态的机制提供了基础。     

S100A8和S100A9通过Wnt/β-catenin通路影响鼻咽癌细胞生物行为的研究

为探讨S100A8和S100A9对鼻咽癌细胞系CNE2的影响及是否通过Wnt/β-catenin通路而发挥作用,以培养基添加1μg/m L S100A8/S100A9培养CNE2为实验组,采用划痕、黏附和平板克隆实验分别检测S100A8/S100A9对CNE2细胞的生物学行为影响,同时运用Western blotting检测CNE2细胞中β-catenin蛋白的累积。实验结果显示,S100A8/S100A9起促进CNE2细胞迁移(p0.05,p0.01)、基质黏附(p0.01)和平板克隆(p0.01)的作用,且添加S100A8/S100A9蛋白后1 h,CNE2细胞中β-catenin的累积明显上调。以上结果显示S100A8/S100A9可促进鼻咽癌细胞CNE2侵袭和迁移及细胞干性增强等生物学行为,其机制可能有Wnt/β-catenin通路的参与。     

绿脓杆菌PA—103株产毒条件及外毒素A提取纯化的研究

绿脓杆菌PA—103株产毒培养基是用本室研制的胰蛋白酶消化大豆粉透析外液制成的.培养基除铁后Fe~+含量为0.13μm/ml,蛋白水解物6.9mg/ml,氨基酸含量76mg/100ml,均接近进口培养基水平.经振荡培养,提取纯化了外毒素A.粗制外毒素A经DE_(52)阶段洗脱,DE_(52)梯度洗脱,LKBACA_(44)超凝胶过虑以及羟基磷灰石柱等四步纯化.精制外毒素A小鼠毒性致死试验提高到1:64,接近文献值.LD50>300LD50/ml,园盘电泳分析为单一成份,由天门冬氨酸等17种氨基酸组成.     

bFGF和BMP-2联合应用对体外培养兔骨髓间充质干细胞增殖与骨向分化的影响

目的:研究碱性成纤维细胞生长因子(bFGF)和骨形成蛋白-2(BMP-2)联合应用对体外培养兔骨髓间充质干细胞(BMSCs)增殖与骨向分化的影响.方法:体外培养兔骨髓间充质干细胞,在第2代细胞培养液中加入不同浓度的bFGF和BMP-2,依据加入bFGF和BMP-2浓度的不同分为5个实验组(组1:80 ng/ml bFGF;组2:80 ng/ml BMP-2;组3:30 ng/ml bFGF 30 ng/ml BMP-2;组4:50ng/ml bFGF 50ng/ml BMP-2;组5:80ng/ml bFGF 80ng/ml BMP-2)和对照组(不加任何生长因子),采用绘制生长曲线,四唑盐比色法(MTT),碱性磷酸酶(ALP)活性检测法和碱性磷酸酶(ALP)免疫组化染色法比较各组间差异,观察不同浓度的bFGF和BMP-2联合应用对兔骨髓间充质干细胞增殖与骨向分化的影响.结果:与对照组相比,单独应用80 ng/ml bFGF可显著促进BMSCs的增殖,但对BMSCs的骨向分化显著抑制;单独应用80 ng/ml BMP-2对BMSCs的增殖和骨向分化均有促进作用;30ng/ml bFGF 30 ng/ml BMP-2、50 ng/ml bFGF 50 ng/ml BMP-2和80 ng/ml bFGF 80 ng/ml BMP-2可显著地促进BMSCs增殖和促进BMSCs的骨向分化,且呈正性剂量-效应关系,联合应用两种生长因子较二者单独应用促细胞增殖及骨向分化的效果更为显著.结论:一定浓度范围内,bFGF和BMP-2的联合应用促进BMSCs增殖的同时也促进其骨向分化,两者对BMSCs有明显的协同增强的生物学效应.     

Inhibition of Activin/Nodal signaling promotes specification of human embryonic stem cells into neuroectoderm

Nodal, a member of the TGF-β family of signaling molecules, has been implicated in pluripotency in human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) [Vallier, L., Reynolds, D., Pedersen, R.A., 2004a. Nodal inhibits differentiation of human embryonic stem cells along the neuroectodermal default pathway. Dev. Biol. 275, 403-421], a finding that seems paradoxical given Nodal's central role in mesoderm/endoderm specification during gastrulation. In this study, we sought to clarify the role of Nodal signaling during hESC differentiation by constitutive overexpression of the endogenous Nodal inhibitors Lefty2 (Lefty) and truncated Cerberus (Cerb-S) and by pharmacological interference using the Nodal receptor antagonist SB431542. Compared to wildtype (WT) controls, embryoid bodies (EBs) derived from either Lefty or Cerb-S overexpressing hESCs showed increased expression of neuroectoderm markers Sox1, Sox3, and Nestin. Conversely, they were negative for a definitive endoderm marker (Sox17) and did not generate beating cardiomyocyte structures in conditions that allowed mesendoderm differentiation from WT hESCs. EBs derived from either Lefty or Cerb-S expressing hESCs also contained a greater abundance of neural rosette structures as compared to controls. Differentiating EBs derived from Lefty expressing hESCs generated a dense network of β-tubulin III positive neurites, and when Lefty expressing hESCs were grown as a monolayer and allowed to differentiate, they generated significantly higher numbers of β-tubulin positive neurons as compared to wildtype hESCs. SB431542 treatments reproduced the neuralising effects of Lefty overexpression in hESCs. These results show that inhibition of Nodal signaling promotes neuronal specification, indicating a role for this pathway in controlling early neural development of pluripotent cells.     

Nodal/Activin signaling drives self-renewal and tumorigenicity of pancreatic cancer stem cells and provides a target for combined drug therapy

Nodal and Activin belong to the TGF-β superfamily and are important regulators of embryonic stem cell fate. Here we investigated whether Nodal and Activin regulate self-renewal of pancreatic cancer stem cells. Nodal and Activin were hardly detectable in more differentiated pancreatic cancer cells, while cancer stem cells and stroma-derived pancreatic stellate cells markedly overexpressed Nodal and Activin, but not TGF-β. Knockdown or pharmacological inhibition of the Nodal/Activin receptor Alk4/7 in cancer stem cells virtually abrogated their self-renewal capacity and in vivo tumorigenicity, and reversed the resistance of orthotopically engrafted cancer stem cells to gemcitabine. However, engrafted primary human pancreatic cancer tissue with a substantial stroma showed no response due to limited drug delivery. The addition of a stroma-targeting hedgehog pathway inhibitor enhanced delivery of the Nodal/Activin inhibitor and translated into long-term, progression-free survival. Therefore, inhibition of the Alk4/7 pathway, if combined with hedgehog pathway inhibition and gemcitabine, provides a therapeutic strategy for targeting cancer stem cells.     

Combinatorial signals of activin/nodal and bone morphogenic protein regulate the early lineage segregation of human embryonic stem cells

Cell fate commitment of pre-implantation blastocysts, to either the inner cell mass or trophoblast, is the first step in cell lineage segregation of the developing human embryo. However, the intercellular signals that control fate determination of these cells remain obscure. Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) provide a unique model for studying human early embryonic development. We have previously shown that Activin/Nodal signaling contributes to maintaining pluripotency of hESCs, which are derivatives of the inner cell mass. Here we further demonstrate that the inhibition of Activin/Nodal signaling results in the loss of hESC pluripotency and trophoblast differentiation, similar to BMP4-induced trophoblast differentiation from hESCs. We also show that the trophoblast induction effect of BMP4 correlates with and depends on the inhibition of Activin/Nodal signaling. However, the activation of BMP signaling is still required for trophoblast differentiation when Activin/Nodal signaling is inhibited. These data reveal that the early lineage segregation of hESCs is determined by the combinatorial signals of Activin/Nodal and BMP.     

Expression of TGFβ family factors and FGF2 in mouse and human embryonic stem cells maintained in different culture systems

Mouse and human embryonic stem cells are in different states of pluripotency (naive/ground and primed states). Mechanisms of signaling regulation in cells with ground and primed states of pluripotency are considerably different. In order to understand the contribution of endogenous and exogenous factors in the maintenance of a metastable state of the cells in different phases of pluripotency, we examined the expression of TGFβ family factors (ActivinA, Nodal, Lefty1, TGFβ1, GDF3, BMP4) and FGF2 initiating the appropriate signaling pathways in mouse and human embryonic stem cells (mESCs, hESCs) and supporting feeder cells. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis of gene expression showed that the expression patterns of endogenous factors studied were considerably different in mESCs and hESCs. The most significant differences were found in the levels of endogenous expression of TGFβ1, BMP4 and ActivinA. The sources of exogenous factors ActivnA, TGFβ1, and FGF2 for hESCs are feeder cells (mouse and human embryonic fibroblasts) expressing high levels of these factors, as well as low levels of BMP4. Thus, our data demonstrated that the in vitro maintenance of metastable state of undifferentiated pluripotent cells is achieved in mESCs and hESCs using different schemes of the regulations of ActivinA/Nodal/Lefty/Smad2/3 and BMP/Smad1/5/8 endogenous branches of TGFβ signaling. The requirement for exogenous stimulation or inhibition of these signaling pathways is due to different patterns of endogenous expression of TGFβ family factors and FGF2 in the mESCs and hESCs. For the hESCs, enhanced activity of ActivinA/Nodal/Lefty/Smad2/3 signaling by exogenous factor stimulation is necessary to mitigate the effects of BMP/Smad1/5/8 signaling pathways that promote cell differentiation into the extraembryonic structures. Significant differences in endogenous FGF2 expression in the cells in the ground and primed states of pluripotency demonstrate diverse involvement of this factor in the regulation of the pluripotent cell self-renewal.     

Inhibition of human embryonic stem cell differentiation by mechanical strain

Mechanical forces have been reported to induce proliferation and/or differentiation in many cell types, but the role of mechanotransduction during embryonic stem cell fate decisions is unknown. To ascertain the role of mechanical strain in human embryonic stem cell (hESC) differentiation, we measured the rate of hESC differentiation in the presence and absence of biaxial cyclic strain. Above a threshold of 10% cyclic strain, applied to a deformable elastic substratum upon which the hESC colonies were cultured, hESC differentiation was reduced and self-renewal was promoted without selecting against survival of differentiated or undifferentiated cells. Frequency of mechanical strain application had little effect on extent of differentiation. hESCs cultured under cyclic strain retained pluripotency, evidenced by their ability to differentiate to cell lineages in all three germ layers. Mechanical inhibition of hESC differentiation could not be traced to secretion of chemical factors into the media suggesting that mechanical forces may directly regulate hESC differentiation. Mechanical strain is not sufficient to inhibit differentiation, however, in unconditioned medium, hESCs grown under strain differentiated at the same rate as cells cultured in the absence of strain. Thus, while mechanical forces play a role in regulating hESC self-renewal and differentiation, they must act synergistically with chemical signals. These findings imply that application of mechanical forces may be useful, in combination with chemical and matrix-encoded signals, towards controlling differentiation of hESCs for therapeutic applications.     

Lefty blocks a subset of TGFbeta signals by antagonizing EGF-CFC coreceptors

Members of the EGF-CFC family play essential roles in embryonic development and have been implicated in tumorigenesis. The TGFbeta signals Nodal and Vg1/GDF1, but not Activin, require EGF-CFC coreceptors to activate Activin receptors. We report that the TGFbeta signaling antagonist Lefty also acts through an EGF-CFC-dependent mechanism. Lefty inhibits Nodal and Vg1 signaling, but not Activin signaling. Lefty genetically interacts with EGF-CFC proteins and competes with Nodal for binding to these coreceptors. Chimeras between Activin and Nodal or Vg1 identify a 14 amino acid region that confers independence from EGF-CFC coreceptors and resistance to Lefty. These results indicate that coreceptors are targets for both TGFbeta agonists and antagonists and suggest that subtle sequence variations in TGFbeta signals result in greater ligand diversity.