Expression of the hepatitis B virus surface antigen in Drosophila S2 cells

Drosophila melanogaster S2 cells were transfected with a plasmid vector (pAcHBsAgHy) containing the S gene, coding for the hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg), under control of the constitutive drosophila actin promoter (pAc), and the hygromycin B (Hy) selection gene. The vector was introduced into Schneider 2 (S2) Drosophila cells by DNA transfection and a cell population (S2AcHBsAgHy) was selected by its resistance to hygromycin B. The pAcHBsAgHy vector integrated in transfected S2 cell genome and approximately 1,000 copies per cell were found in a higher HBsAg producer cell subpopulation. The HBsAg production varied in different subpopulations, but did not when a given subpopulation was cultivated in different culture flasks. Higher HBsAg expression was found in S2AcHBsAgHy cells cultivated in Insect Xpress medium (13.5 μg/1E7 cells) and SFX medium (7 μg/1E7 cells) in comparison to SF900II medium (0.6 μg/1E7 cells). An increase of HBsAg was observed in culture maintained under hygromycin selection pressure. Data presented in the paper show that S2AcHBsAgHy cells produce efficiently the HBsAg which is mainly found in the cell supernatant, suggesting that HBsAg is secreted from the cells. The data also show that our approach using the Drosophila expression system is suitable for the preparation of other viral protein preparation.     

RNA干扰抑制人乙型肝炎病毒复制的研究

采用表达shRNA的载体构建了表达针对病毒HBsAgmRNA保守区的shRNA的质粒psiHBs,利用细胞模型和高压注射小鼠模型评价RNA干扰对HBV复制和基因表达的抑制作用。通过Western印迹检测细胞内的HBsAg,用ELISA检测细胞培养上清和血清中的HBsAg,采用Southern印迹检测HBV的复制中间体,最后通过免疫组化的方法检测肝组织切片中HBcAg的表达情况。结果显示pHBV1.3和psiHBs共转染HepG2后,与对照组相比病毒HBsAg和HBeAg的表达和病毒复制中间体的水平下降了90%以上,并且shRNA的作用效率存在序列特异性和剂量依赖性。在高压注射小鼠模型中,psiHBs表达的shRNA使小鼠血清中HBsAg的水平下降了80%以上,免疫组化检测显示,小鼠肝组织内HBcAg阳性细胞数减少了75.1%,而且shRNA的抑制作用至少能持续4d。研究显示载体表达的shRNA无论是在细胞或是在小鼠模型中都能对HBV的复制和基因的表达发挥序列特异性的抑制作用。本研究为我们下一步实现由RNAi介导的基因治疗提供了理论和技术支持。     

人促红细胞生成素基因组基因和cDNA的克隆及其在COS－7细胞中的表达

利用ＰＣＲ技术,从正常人胎肝染色体ＤＮＡ中克隆到长度为１５７２ｂｐ的人促红细胞生成素（ＥＰＯ）基因组基因片段,它包含除第一个外显子和第一个内含子外所有外显子及内含子。再人工合成１３ｂｐ外显子１的编码区,并与１５７２ｂｐ片段拼接,从而得到除第一个内含子的人促红细胞生成素基因组基因。将克隆得到的ＥＰＯ基因插入载体ｐＳＶ２－ｄｈｆｒ得到ｐＳＶ２－ＥＰＯ表达载体,转染ＣＯＳ－７细胞后获得高效表达。利用自行研制的小鼠抗人ＥＰＯ单抗及兔抗人ＥＰＯ多抗,对表达产物进行ＥＬＩＳＡ定量测定,细胞分泌ＥＰＯ量高达２５１±７Ｕ／ｍｌ．Ｋｒｙｓｔａｌ法测得体外生物活性２４１．５±６．５Ｕ／ｍｌ．用ＥＰＯ单抗免疫沉淀结合ＳＤＳ－ＰＡＧＥ对转染细胞的表达产物做了进一步鉴定,清晰地看到了ＥＰＯ条带。从高效表达ＥＰＯ的转染细胞中分离纯化ｍＲＮＡ,用ＲＴ－ＰＣＲ方法扩增并克隆到ＥＰＯ的ｃＤＮＡ,这为ＥＰＯ在其它系统中的表达及ＥＰＯ的功能与结构的研究打下了基础。     

High spontaneous mutation frequency in shuttle vector sequences recovered from mammalian cellular DNA.

The recombinant shuttle vector pSV2gpt was introduced into V79 Chinese hamster cells, and stable transformants expressing the Escherichia coli gpt gene were selected. Two transformants carrying tandem duplications of the plasmid at a single site were identified and fused to simian COS-1 cells. Plasmid DNA recovered from the heterokaryons was used to transform a Gpt- derivative of E. coli HB101, and the relative frequency of plasmids carrying a mutation in the gpt gene was determined. The high frequency of Gpt- plasmids (ca. 1%) was similar to that observed when plasmid was recovered from COS-1 cells which had been transfected with pSV2gpt. Most of the mutant plasmids had rearrangements in the region containing the gpt gene.     

Simian virus 40 (SV40) T-antigen mutations in tumorigenic transformation of SV40-immortalized human uroepithelial cells.

pSV2Neo, a plasmid that contains the wild-type simian virus 40 (SV40) origin of replication (ori), is widely used in mammalian cell transfection experiments. We observed that pSV2Neo transforms two nontumorigenic SV40-immortalized human uroepithelial cell lines (SV-HUC and CK/SV-HUC2) to G418 resistance (G418r) at a frequency lower than that at which it transforms SV-HUC tumorigenic derivatives (T-SV-HUC). Transient expression studies with the chloramphenicol transferase assay showed that these differences could not be explained by differences in Neo gene expression. However, when we replaced the SV40 ori in pSV2Neo with a replication-defective ori to generate G13.1Neo and G13.1'Neo, the G418r transformation frequency of the SV40-immortalized cell lines was elevated. Because SV40 T antigen stimulates replication at its ori, we tested plasmid replication in these transfected cell lines. The immortalized cell lines that showed low G418r transformation frequencies after transfection with pSV2Neo showed high levels of plasmid replication, while the T-SV-HUC that showed high G418r transformation frequencies failed to replicate pSV2Neo. To determine whether differences in the status of the T-antigen gene contributed to the phenomenon, we characterized the T-antigen gene in these cell lines. The results showed that the T-SV-HUC had sustained mutations in the T-antigen gene that would interfere with the ability of the T antigen to stimulate replication at its ori. Most T-SV-HUC contained a super-T-antigen replication-defective ori that apparently resulted from the partial duplication of SV40 early genes, but one T-SV-HUC had a point mutation in the ori DNA-binding domain of the T-antigen gene. These results correlate with the high G418r transformation frequencies with pSV2Neo in T-SV-HUC compared with SV-HUC and CK/SV-HUC2. Furthermore, these results suggest that alterations in SV40 T antigen may be important in stabilizing human cells immortalized by SV40 genes that contain the wild-type SV40 ori, thus contributing to tumorigenic transformation. This is the first report of a super T antigen occurring in human SV40-transformed cells.     

Extension of lifespan of human T lymphocytes by transfection with SV40 large T antigen.

Lymphocytes have a finite and predictable proliferative life span in culture similar to that observed in fibroblasts. In general, the senescence of human fibroblasts is inevitable and irreversible, but their proliferative life span can be extended by certain DNA tumor virus oncogenes, such as the large T antigen of the SV40 virus. Here, we show that human T lymphocytes (HTL) can be stably transfected with SV40 large T and that expression of T antigen extended the life span of T cell cultures. PHA-stimulated HTL were transfected with pSV3neo, an expression vector containing the SV40 early region and the neomycin resistance gene. Transfectants were selected for neomycin (G418) resistance. Control HTL, either mock transfected or transfected with pSV2neo (containing the neomycin resistance gene only), ceased proliferation after about 17 population doublings. In contrast, HTL transfected with pSV3neo underwent more than 170 doublings. pSV3neo-transfected cells expressed SV40 large T RNA, detectable by in situ hybridization, and SV40 T antigen, detectable by immunofluorescence. Greater than 95% of the transfected cells were CD4 positive. These results clearly show that SV40 large T enables HTL to escape senescence. Transfection with SV40 large T may be a valuable method for obtaining long term human T cell lines for studies of both aging and immunology.     

靶向HBs基因的shRNA表达载体的构建及其抑制HepG2.2.15表达HBVsAg的作用

探索用PGenesil-1(Pg)构建的靶向乙型肝炎病毒表面抗原(HBsAg)基因的shRNA表达载体PGenesil-1-HBs(简称Pgs),对体外培养HepG2.2.15细胞中的HBV基因及其抗原表达的抑制作用.设计、合成靶向HBV S区的3对DNA序列,分别插入PGenesil-1中构建3个siRNA表达载体Pgs1、Pgs2、Pgs3,经限制性内切酶,DNA序列测定等技术鉴定确认.筛选并确定最佳细胞接种量及重组质粒转染量后,分别或按不同组合转染HepG-2.2.15细胞,48 h后采用半定量RT-PCR检测HBVsmRNA转录水平,免疫细胞化学技术检测HBsAg表达水平,MEIA分别检测细胞裂解液和培养上清中HBsAg和HBeAg的表达水平.结果表明,HBV真核表达载体Pgs1、Pgs2、Pgs3均能不同程度地抑制HepG2.2.15细胞中的HBsAg、HBeAg合成和HBs-mRNA转录.成功构建的HBV真核表达载体Pgs1、Pgs2、Pgs3,其中PgS3能显著抑制HBsAg表达(P＜0.01).多种表达载体联合对抗原表达的抑制作用效率不同.     

Concomitant cellular expression of heat shock regulated genes of heapatitis B virus surface antigen and of human growth hormone by a NIH-3T3 cell line

A plasmid carrying a DNA fragment of hepatitis B virus, coding for the pre-S2 and the entire S region of the surface antigen (HBsAg), placed under the control of the promoter of the human 70 kDa heat shock protein gene (hsp70) was introduced into Line 6, a recombinant cell line that was selectedfromNIH-3T3 cellspreviously transfected with a similar construct coding for the human growth hormone cDNA gene (chGH) and with the plasmid pEJ carrying the Ha-ras^EJ activated cellular oncogene. The resulting cell line, EMS8, expressed: (1) hsp70/HBsAg and hsp70/hGH hybrid genes, (2) the human Ha-ras^EJ oncogene, and (3) the neomycin resistance gene, the two last plasmid markers being used for cell selection. EMS8 cells were able to carry outpost-translational modifications of the middle M and the major S envelope proteins of HBV, such as assembly and glycosylation. Accordingly, the cells synthesized and secreted both free and glycosylated M and S viralproteins, and the human growth hormone protein. In addition concomitant expression of HBsAg and hGH proteins as well as their mRNA were detected in EMS8 cells at least up to 72 hr after heat induction instead of 24 hr in the case of hGH in line 6 cells.     

流体动力学法表达乙肝病毒X蛋白小鼠模型的建立

目的建立表达乙肝病毒X蛋白的小鼠模型。方法实验动物分成模型组和对照组,模型组利用已构建的含有HBX基因的真核表达质粒pcDNA3.1（＋）-HBX,对照组以等量生理盐水代替,采用流体动力学法将质粒经尾静脉高压注入小鼠体内,24h后取小鼠肝组织,行免疫荧光、RT-PCR和Western blot法从不同水平检测HBX在小鼠肝组织内的表达情况。结果模型组小鼠RT-PCR显示肝组织内有HBX mRNA的存在,免疫荧光和Western blot检测均有HBX蛋白的表达;对照组小鼠则无HBX表达。结论成功建立了表达乙肝病毒X蛋白小鼠模型,为进一步探讨HBX蛋白在动物体内的生物学作用提供实验基础。     

The genomic instability associated with integrated simian virus 40 DNA is dependent on the origin of replication and early control region.

DNA rearrangements in the form of deletions and duplications are found within and near integrated simian virus 40 (SV40) DNA in nonpermissive cell lines. We have found that rearrangements also occur frequently with integrated pSV2neo plasmid DNA. pSV2neo contains the entire SV40 control region, including the origin of replication, both promoters, and the enhancer sequences. Linearized plasmid DNA was electroporated into X1, an SV40-transformed mouse cell line that expresses SV40 large T antigen (T Ag) and shows very frequent rearrangements at the SV40 locus, and into LMtk-, a spontaneously transformed mouse cell line that contains no SV40 DNA. Stability was analyzed by subcloning G-418-resistant clones and examining specific DNA fragments for alterations in size. Five independent X1 clones containing pSV2neo DNA were unstable at both the neo locus and the T Ag locus. By contrast, four X1 clones containing mutants of pSV2neo with small deletions in the SV40 core origin and three X1 clones containing a different neo plasmid lacking SV40 sequences were stable at the neo locus, although they were still unstable at the T Ag locus. Surprisingly, five independent LMtk- clones containing pSV2neo DNA were unstable at the neo locus. LMtk- clones containing origin deletion mutants were more stable but were not as stable as the X1 clones containing the same plasmid DNA. We conclude that the SV40 origin of replication and early control region are sufficient viral components for the genomic instability at sites of SV40 integration and that SV40 T Ag is not required.     

Phenotypic changes and gene expression in human colon mucosal epithelial cells upon transfection of a SV40 DNA-GPT recombinant

Summary Phenotypic changes (increased longevity, decreased growth factor requirements, altered cell surface features, growth in semisolid agarose, and SV40 T antigen expression) suggesting in vitro transformation were displayed by human normal colon mucosal epithelial cells transfected with pSV3gpt, a pBR322 recombinant containing the SV40 “early” T antigen coding region and the dominant selectable marker bacterial gene, xanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase. In contrast, control cultures which received neither DNA nor the recombinatn pSV2gpt (which is identical to pSV3gpt but lacks the SV40 T antigen region) were not phenotypically altered.     

Site-directed mutagenesis of hepatitis B surface antigen sequence at codon 160 from arginine to lysine for conversion of subtypic determinant from r to w

Site-directed mutagenesis from G to A was induced at nucleotide 479 in the S gene of hepatitis B virus DNA, cloned from an individual carrying the surface antigen of subtype ayr. HepG2 cells were transfected with the plasmid DNA containing the mutant. They produced surface antigen of subtype ayw, unlike HepG2 cells harboring the parent viral DNA that produced surface antigen of subtype ayr. These results indicate that a point mutation from G to A at nucleotide 479 in the S gene, changing codon 160 for arginine to that for lysine, can convert the subtypic determinant of hepatitis B surface antigen from r to its allelic determinant w.     

Hepatitis B Virus X Protein Is both a Substrate and a Potential Inhibitor of the Proteasome Complex

The hepatitis B virus X protein (HBX) is essential for the establishment of HBV infection in vivo and exerts a pleiotropic effect on diverse cellular functions. The yeast two-hybrid system had indicated that HBX could interact with two subunits of the 26S proteasome. Here we demonstrate an association in vivo of HBX with the 26S proteasome complex by coimmunoprecipitation and colocalization upon sucrose gradient centrifugation. Expression of HBX in HepG2 cells caused a modest decrease in the proteasome's chymotrypsin- and trypsin-like activities and in hydrolysis of ubiquitinated lysozyme, suggesting that HBX functions as an inhibitor of proteasome. In these cells, HBX is degraded with a half-life of 30 min. Proteasome inhibitors retarded this rapid degradation and caused a marked increase in the level of HBX and an accumulation of HBX in polyubiquitinated form. Thus, the low intracellular level of HBX is due to rapid proteolysis by the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. Surprisingly, the proteasome inhibitors blocked the transactivation by HBX, and this effect was not a result of a squelching phenomenon due to HBX accumulation. Therefore, proteasome function is possibly required for the transactivation function of HBX. The inhibition of protein breakdown by proteasomes may account for the multiple actions of HBX and may be an important feature of HBV infection, possibly in helping stabilize viral gene products and suppressing antigen presentation.