RNP免疫沉淀技术在斑马鱼胸苷酸合成酶基因翻译调控研究中的应用

为检测斑马鱼胸苷酸合成酶基因的表达产物TS蛋白在体内是否结合于自身的mRNA,并进一步检测TS蛋白与c-myc mRNA的结合情况。采用免疫沉淀结合得到相应的RNA,即RNP免疫沉淀技术,进一步结合RT-PCR技术分析与蛋白结合的核酸序列,并用Western蛋白印迹分析了TS蛋白。结果显示,人的TS106单克隆抗体可以免疫沉淀斑马鱼的TS蛋白,抗体免疫沉淀的核酸中含有TS mRNA和c-myc mRNA。在斑马鱼中,TS蛋白在体内结合于自身的TS mRNA,并能结合c-myc mRNA,参与基因的表达调控,阐明了TS的翻译调控机制在体内条件下的作用方式,同时也为构建斑马鱼抗肿瘤药理模型提供了理论基础。     

胸苷酸合成酶mRNA亲和多肽的鉴定及其对翻译过程的抑制作用

胸苷酸合成酶(thymidylate synthase, TS)是催化生物体内胸苷酸合成所必需的酶, 多年来一直作为肿瘤化疗的靶点. 研究表明, TS是一种RNA结合蛋白, 可以与其自身mRNA的2个位点结合, 使mRNA翻译受阻. 本文以mRNA体外展示技术进行了由大容量多肽库(>10¹³)中筛选胸苷酸合成酶mRNA亲和多肽的研究, 对随机库进行了12轮循环的选择及扩增. 结果表明, 与初始库相比, 经选择循环之后, 碱性氨基酸及芳香族的苯丙氨酸含量明显增加, 它们在TS RNA与蛋白质的相互作用中扮演着重要角色. 按其理化特性对每一随机位点的氨基酸进行分类, 并与初始库比较, 发现位点1, 12, 17和18具有明显的带正电荷的特性, 表明碱性侧链参与了与RNA的结合. 二级结构预测表明, 随着筛选的进行, 与TS mRNA 亲和的多肽显示出明显的螺旋倾向, 而且形成螺旋的区域富含碱性氨基酸. 凝胶迁移及体外翻译实验证实, 选择循环之后的多肽能够与TS mRNA高度亲和, 并能抑制TS mRNA的翻译. 本研究表明mRNA体外展示方法得到的亲和多肽可以用作新的TS RNA的翻译抑制剂, 并有可能成为一类新型的抗肿瘤药物.     

胸苷酸合成酶表达调控的分子机制

胸苷酸合成酶(thymidylate synthase,TS)是生物体内催化胸苷酸合成所必需的酶．多年来一直作为肿瘤化疗的重要靶酶。对TS基因调控机制的研究表明：基因扩增、转录、翻译和翻译后过程都参与了TS表达的调控。先前的研究表明：TS可与自身的mRNA结合形成TS-mRNA复合物,使mRNA翻译受阻,5-氟尿嘧啶(5-fluorouracil,5-FU)等抗代谢药物可与TS蛋白结合,结合后的复合物不能与TS mRNA作用,导致体内TS的表达升高,是肿瘤细胞产生抗药性的重要分子机制之一。现对TS基因表达调控研究进展、翻译调控与抗药性产生的分子机制进行综述。     

运用 mRNA 体外展示技术筛选胸苷酸合成酶 RNA 亲和肽

以体外选择方法筛选不同功能的核酸、肽和蛋白质是近年的研究热点, mRNA 体外展示是一种新兴的高效多肽选择技术,其基本原理是通过含嘌呤霉素寡核苷酸的 Linker 使 mRNA 与它编码的肽或蛋白质共价结合,形成 mRNA- 蛋白质融合体,这一方法已用于多种功能肽的鉴定 . 以 mRNA 体外展示技术进行了由大容量多肽库中 (>1013) 筛选胸苷酸合成酶 (thymidylate synthase , TS) RNA 亲和肽的研究,通过精密的实验设计,建立了一套完整有效的筛选方法,并对实验条件进行了优化 . 已进行了 8 轮筛选,结果表明,以 mRNA 体外展示技术获得的多肽分子,可以与 TS mRNA 亲和 . 将测序结果与初始肽库进行比较,发现亲和肽中碱性氨基酸及芳香族氨基酸含量明显增加,说明其在与 RNA 结合中具有重要作用 . mRNA 展示技术作为一种大容量文库的体外筛选方法,将广泛应用于与固定化靶物质具高度亲和性及特异性的多肽和蛋白质的筛选 .     

胸苷酸合成酶的表达对原发大肠癌患者预后的影响

目的:研究表明大肠癌组织内胸苷酸合成酶(thymidylate systhase,TS)是独立于分期之外影响大肠癌预后的影响因子,TS高水平表达是预后的不良因素,并且与大肠癌患者应用氟脲嘧啶类或其衍生物类药物化疗疗效有关.本研究是探讨对于接受根治术后应用5-氟脲嘧啶或其衍生物化疗的原发性大肠癌患者,TS表达水平高低对患者预后的判断价值.方法:应用免疫组化法检测了89例大肠癌患者的石腊组织标本的TS表达水平.患者为Dukes'A期、B期、C期原发性大肠癌,均接受大肠癌根治术,术后接受5.氟脲嘧啶或其衍生物的4～6周期的化疗.结果:癌组织中TS表达水平比正常组织中TS表达水平高(67.8%vs 5.1%,P＜0.01).TS低表达患者与TS高表达患者总生存期、无病生存期无差异(P=0.1785,P=0.0798),多因素分析显示分期是唯一与生存期有关因素.结论:癌组织TS表达水平高低不能预测接受大肠癌根治术且术后接受5-氟脲嘧啶或其衍生物化疗的原发性大肠癌患者的预后,但TS表达水平高的患者可能从辅助化疗中获益.     

应用变性高效液相色谱技术建立胸苷酸合成酶基因多态检测平台

TS基因5′非翻译区(5′ untranslation region, 5′UTR)增强子区域(TS enhancer region, TSER)存在28 bp的2次(2R)、3次(3R)的串联重复多态, 在3R等位基因第二次重复中还存在一个G→C的单核苷酸多态性(single nucleotide polymorphisms, SNPs), 同时在3′非翻译区(3′ untranslation region, 3′ UTR)存在6个碱基片段缺失/插入多态。这些多态形式的存在影响了TS基因mRNA的稳定和翻译效率, 并可导致不同TS基因型肿瘤患者对以5-fuorouracil (5-FU)为基础的化疗疗效产生差异。为提高TS基因型临床检测的效率和准确性, 方便、快捷、准确和自动化区分各种纯合及杂合基因型, 设计多重PCR反应, 同时扩增TS基因5′ 和3′ 非翻译区多态所处片段。利用DHPLC技术建立TS基因多态性检测平台, 在非变性条件下, 通过优化DHPLC 洗脱梯度, 同时检测5′ TSER区的串联重复多态和3′ UTR片段长度多态; 在变性条件下, 检测5′ TSER区单核苷酸多态。同时采用PCR-RFLP和DNA 测序方法, 验证DHPLC分析结果。     

Reverse ChIP:研究DNA-蛋白质相互作用的新方法

反向染色质免疫共沉淀技术(reverse chromatin immunoprecipitation assay,Reverse ChIP)是一种在体内状态下分析DNA-蛋白质相互作用的新方法.它用特异的核酸探针捕获靶DNA片段及与其相结合的蛋白质,蛋白质用质谱仪检测,以达到确定靶DNA位点全部相关蛋白质的目的.其可对靶DNA位点相关蛋白质进行全面、系统地鉴定,特别是寻找已知DNA元件相应的调节蛋白.在发现、鉴定靶DNA位点相关蛋白质和研究DNA-蛋白质相互作用中有重要应用价值.     

结构域相互作用数据库的产生、发展与应用

结构域是进化上的保守序列单元,是蛋白质的结构和功能的标准组件．典型的两个蛋白质间的相互作用涉及特殊结构域间的结合,而且识别相互作用结构域对于在结构域水平上彻底理解蛋白质的功能与进化、构建蛋白质相互作用网络、分析生物学通路等十分重要．目前,依赖于对实验数据的进一步挖掘和对各种不同输入数据的计算预测,已识别出了一些相互作用/功能连锁结构域对,并由此构建了内容丰富、日益更新的结构域相互作用数据库．综述了产生结构域相互作用的8种计算预测方法．介绍了5个结构域相互作用公共数据库3DID、iPfam、InterDom、DIMA和DOMINE的有关信息和最新动态．实例概述了结构域相互作用在蛋白质相互作用计算预测、可信度评估,蛋白质结构域注释,以及在生物学通路分析中的应用．     

酿酒葡萄分支酸合成酶基因(VvCS)的克隆与表达分析

本研究以酿酒葡萄(Vitis vinifera)品种赤霞珠(Cabernet Sauvignon)及霞多丽(Chardonnay)为试材,采用in silico克隆和分子克隆相结合的策略,从果实中克隆到分支酸合成酶基因,命名为VvCS。该基因的cDNA编码区全长1312bp,编码436个氨基酸残基,预测其编码蛋白质分子量为46.9kD,等电点为7.8;生物信息学分析显示VvCS的DNA全长7117bp,包含13个外显子和12个内含子,定位于葡萄的第13号染色体上。VvCS编码的蛋白与其它植物来源的分支酸合成酶在氨基酸水平上的同源性为75%左右;实时荧光定量PCR分析表明VvCS在葡萄果实、茎、叶和叶柄组织中均有表达,且在果皮、果肉和种子中的表达变化趋势相似,与盛花后5周的果实相比,盛花后11周果实各部位中VvCS表达丰度均有不同程度增加。     

DNA甲基化转移酶抑制剂与胸苷酸合成酶抑制剂体外联合用药的抗肿瘤增效作用

通过在体外分别对DNA甲基化转移酶（DNA methyhransferase,DNMT）抑制剂5-氮杂胞苷（5-azacytidine,5-aza—C）和新型胸苷酸合成酶抑制剂盐酸洛拉曲克（nolatrexed dihydrochloride．Nolatrexed）联合用药于人大肠癌细胞LoVo和人肝癌细胞Hep3B的相互作用性质的观察,探讨DNMT抑制剂和胸苷酸合成酶抑制剂联合用药的可能性．使用MTT法测定二者单独用药或联合用药的抗肿瘤活性,用抑制浓度的分数之和（sum of fractional inhibitory concentration,SFIC）值及等效剂量分析方法（isobologram）评价联合用药的作用性质．结果显示,联合用药时其SFIC值均小于或等于1,由此得到的等效剂量曲线图形表现为凹形．可见,5-aza—C和Nolatrexed体外联合用药抗肿瘤相互作用性质为明显的增效作用,DNMT抑制剂和胸苷酸合成酶抑制剂联合用药达到抗肿瘤增效作用是可行的．     

Activity identification of chimeric anti-caspase-3 mRNA hammerhead ribozyme in vitro and in vivo

To study the expression activity of various vectors containing anti-caspase-3 ribozyme cassettesin vivo, and to further study the role of caspas-3 in the apoptotic pathway, we constructed anti-caspase-3 hammerhead ribozyme embedded into the human snRNA U6, and detected the activity of the ribozymein vitro andin vivo. Meanwhile we compared it with the self-cleaving hammerhead ribozymes that we previously studied, and with the general ribozyme, cloned into RNA polymerase II expression systems. The results showed that the three ribozymes, p1.5RZ107, pRZ107 and pU6RZ107 had the correct structure, and that they could cleave caspase-3 mRNA exactly to produce two fragments: 143nt/553nt. p1.5RZ107 has the highest cleavage efficiencyin vitro, almost 80%. However, the U6 chimeric ribozyme, pU6RZ107, has the highest cleavage activityin vivo, almost to 65%, though it has lower cleavage activityin vitro. The cleavage results demonstrated that the pU6RZ107, the U6 chimeric ribozyme, could more efficiently express and downregulate the level of caspase-3in vivo, and the ribozyme could provide an alternative approach to the research into the mechanism of apoptosis and human gene therapy also.     

Novel in vitro and in vivo inhibitors of prolyl endopeptidase

Inhibition of prolyl endopeptidase by Z-cyclohexyl prolinal and Z-indolinyl prolinal occurs with slow, tight binding inhibition and K_i values of 2 – 3 nM. In vivo enzyme inhibition is also observed with a half time for recovery of enzyme activity of 3 – 4 h.Inhibition of prolyl endopeptidase by Z-cyclohexyl prolinal and Z-indolinyl prolinal occurs with slow, tight binding inhibition and K_i values of 2 – 3 nM. In vivo enzyme inhibition is also observed with a half time for recovery of enzyme activity of 3 – 4 h.     

Dietary phytoestrogens and cancer: in vitro and in vivo studies

Thirty postmenopausal women (11 omnivores, 10 vegetarians and 9 apparently healthy women with surgically removed breast cancer) were investigated with regard to the association of their urinary excretion of estrogens, lignans and isoflavonoids (all diphenols) with plasma sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG). A statistically significant positive correlation between urinary total diphenol excretion and plasma SHBG was found which remained statistically significant after elimination of the confounding effect of body mass determined by body mass index (BMI). Furthermore we found a statistically significant negative correlation between plasma SHBG and urinary excretion of 16α-hydroxyestrone and estriol which also remained significant after eliminating the effect of BMI. Furthermore we observed that enterolactone (Enl) stimulates the synthesis of SHBG by HepG2 liver cancer cells in culture acting synergistically with estradiol and at physiological concentrations. Enl was rapidly conjugated by the liver cells, mainly to its monosulfate. Several lignans and the isoflavonoids daidzein and equol were found to compete with estradiol for binding to the rat uterine type II estrogen binding site (the s.c. bioflavonoid receptor). It is suggested that lignans and isoflavonoids may affect uptake and metabolism of sex hormones by participating in the regulation of plasma SHBG levels and in this way influence their biological activity and that they may inhibit cancer cell growth like some flavonoids by competing with estradiol for the type II estrogen binding sites.     

A mechanism for heterogeneous endothelial responses to flow in vivo and in vitro

Exposure of endothelium to a nominally uniform flow field in vivo and in vitrofrequently results in a heterogeneous distribution of individual cell responses. Extremes in response levels are often noted in neighboring cells. Such variations are important for the spatial interpretation of vascular responses to flow and for an understanding of mechanotransduction mechanisms at the level of single cells. We propose that variations of local forces defined by the cell surface geometry contribute to these differences. Atomic force microscopy measurements of cell surface topography in living endothelium both in vitro and in situ combined with computational fluid dynamics demonstrated large cell-to-cell variations in the distribution of flow-generated shear stresses at the endothelial luminal surface. The distribution of forces throughout the surface of individual cells of the monolayer was also found to vary considerably and to be defined by the surface geometry. We conclude that the endothelial three-dimensional surface geometry defines the detailed distribution of shear stresses and gradients at the single cell level, and that there are large variations in force magnitude and distribution between neighboring cells. The measurements support a topographic basis for differential endothelial responses to flow observed in vivo and in vitro. Included in these studies are the first preliminary measurements of the living endothelial cell surface in an intact artery.     

Phagocytosis by carp granulocytes; in vivo and in vitro observations

The phagocytic ability of carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) granulocytes was evaluated in vivo and in vitro. In suspensions of head kidney cells, neutrophil granulocytes incorporated both latex beads and coccidian merozoites. In intestinal tissues from carp with a Goussia carpelli infection, all granulocyte cell types (neutrophils and cells of the basophilic-eosinophilic complex) phagocytosed cell detritus and coccidian developmental stages, mainly merozoites.     

cAMP levels in proliferating rat mammary epithelial cells in vitro and in vivo

Agents that elevate intracellular cAMP levels are required for growth of many cell types in culture including normal rat mammary epithelial (RME) cells. To determine if the intracellular levels of cAMP that result from stimulation by agents such as cholera toxin (CT) or prostaglandin E-1 (PGE-1) are within the physiological range, cAMP levels were determined in RME cells growing in primary culture and compared to levels measured in freshly isolated mammary epithelium. The results indicate that the cAMP levels of mammary epithelial organoids obtained from 45-day-old virgin rats are 4 to 6 pmol/10⁶ cells. Growth of RME cells in primary culture in the presence of CT results in cAMP levels of approximately 15 to 20 pmol/10⁶ cells early in culture when cells are proliferating rapidly. As cells approach confluence, cAMP concentrations decrease to levels observed in fresh organoids. CT-stimulated cAMP levels appear to be within the range of those found in pregnant mammary epithelium in vivo. Growth of RME cells in medium supplemented with PGE-1 instead of CT results in cAMP levels equivalent to those found in fresh mammary epithelial organoids and under these conditions the growth rate is approximately half that found in CT-stimulated cells. These results indicate cAMP to be a positive regulator of cell growth in vivo at levels that are within the physiological range.     

单增李斯特菌胎盘感染的体内外模型研究进展

单核细胞增生李斯特氏菌（Listeria monocytogenes）是重要的食源性致病菌,能引发人类的李斯特菌病,是全球公共卫生问题之一。该菌易感染孕妇,引起胎儿和新生儿的侵袭性李斯特菌病,严重威胁母婴健康。因此,建立有效的单增李斯特菌感染胎盘体内外模型,解析和探究单增李斯特菌经胎盘感染机制,是预防和控制单增李斯特菌感染母婴的关键所在。本文综述了可用于研究单增李斯特菌母婴感染的体内外胎盘模型,总结和讨论了各类模型的优势和局限性;并着重分析了体外三维胎盘屏障模型在单增李斯特菌感染方面的研究进展和未来研究方向。以期为深入解析该菌经胎盘感染的途径、发病机制提供支持,并为预防和控制母婴李斯特菌病提供科学参考。