内质网在纳米材料毒性效应形成中的作用及机制

随着纳米材料在食品、药物、生物医学等多领域的应用,其在生产使用过程中对人类健康的影响引起了广泛关注.内质网是蛋白质折叠与加工修饰、脂质合成以及Ca~(2+)储存的主要场所,是维护细胞内稳态的重要细胞器.内质网作为纳米材料的主要靶细胞器之一,在纳米材料引起的毒性效应中起重要作用.本文结合近年来国内外相关研究进展,阐述了纳米银(Ag-NPs)、纳米金(Au-NPs)、纳米二氧化钛(TiO_2-NPs)、纳米氧化锌(ZnO-NPs)、纳米二氧化硅(SiO_2-NPs)、富勒烯(C_(60))、单壁与多壁碳纳米管(SWCNTs/MWCNTs)以及石墨烯与氧化石墨烯(GO)等典型纳米材料对内质网结构与功能的影响,并归纳总结了内质网在不同纳米材料诱导的毒性效应中的作用及其异同点.纳米材料可通过引起内质网应激诱导细胞凋亡、炎症反应以及细胞自噬,还可通过激活IP_3信号通路诱导内质网Ca~(2+)释放激活钙依赖的细胞凋亡.纳米材料可在内质网中积累造成结构损伤及功能障碍,还可诱导内质网自噬.     

现有溶酶体分离纯化技术的对比、分析和应用

溶酶体作为真核细胞中重要的细胞器,不仅是降解内外源物质的场所,也是细胞能量感知和调节的中心,能够协调细胞物质的转运、代谢和分泌。溶酶体稳态失衡会导致许多疾病,如溶酶体贮积症、肿瘤、免疫缺陷和神经退行性疾病。获得完整、高纯度的溶酶体是研究其微观结构、稳态调控和相关分子功能的重要前提。目前常用的溶酶体分离纯化技术包括离心分离纯化、荧光辅助细胞器分选、亲和免疫分离纯化、磁性纳米颗粒分离纯化和Lyso-IP等。该文综述现有溶酶体分离纯化技术的原理、特点和应用,并对它们进行对比分析。     

线粒体-内质网结构偶联的研究进展

线粒体一内质网结构偶联,是指线粒体外膜与内质网膜之间形成的紧密物理连接。通过“募集”数十种蛋白质（mitofusion2、IP3R、grp75、PACS-2等）构成细胞器间的偶联“平台”,将线粒体和内质网功能联系起来。其中,富集磷脂合成酶与磷脂代谢联系密切：形成高钙离子微区,利于细胞器间Ca^2＋转运,影响钙信号通路,从而决定细胞命运;调控线粒体形态,尤其是线粒体解离过程;此外,线粒体-内质网结构偶联异常还与细胞凋亡、疾病等有关。     

乙酰辅酶A与内质网乙酰化

乙酰辅酶A是细胞内物质和能量代谢的重要中间物，同时也是蛋白质乙酰化的乙酰基供体。蛋白质乙酰化包括Nα-乙酰化和Nε-乙酰化，由不同的酶进行催化。蛋白质乙酰化发生在多个亚细胞部位，如细胞基质、细胞核、线粒体和内质网腔等。不同细胞器和区室内乙酰辅酶A的波动可调控内质网蛋白质的乙酰化水平。本文从柠檬酸转运蛋白SLC25A1和SLC13A5、乙酰辅酶A转运蛋白AT-1以及乙酰转移酶ATase1和ATase2的功能出发，以相关人类疾病、内质网乙酰化失调小鼠模型和柠檬酸/乙酰辅酶A通量失调小鼠模型为背景进行分析，阐述了乙酰辅酶A和内质网乙酰化以及内质网乙酰化功能失调与退行性疾病之间的关系，旨在为靶向治疗相关疾病提供一定的策略。     

血管内皮细胞内质网应激

内质网是调控细胞内膜型/分泌型蛋白质合成、钙稳态和细胞凋亡的重要细胞器,多种因素影响内质网稳态、触发内质网应激。适当的内质网应激通过激活未折叠蛋白反应促进内质网紊乱的恢复,但过度内质网应激触发内质网相关凋亡途径,参与多种疾病的发生。血管内皮细胞具有高度发达的内质网,对内质网应激非常敏感,本文综述血管内皮细胞内质网应激反应及其在血管损伤相关疾病中的作用。     

溶血磷脂酰胆碱酰基转移酶1在疾病中的研究进展

溶血磷脂酰胆碱酰基转移酶1(lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase 1,LPCAT1)是一种参与脂质复杂代谢过程的重要酶,其广泛存在于动植物,具有酰基转移酶和乙酰转移酶活性。它由Lpcat1基因编码,蛋白质定位于内质网、高尔基体等细胞器。近年来随着对其结构、功能及表达调控的研究不断深入,发现其参与肺泡表面活性物质合成,并与多种肿瘤、视网膜变性、神经系统疾病等许多疾病相关。本文主要就LPCAT1与疾病的研究进展作一综述。     

麻疯树小孢子发育的研究

用透射电镜观察了麻疯树(Jatropha curcas L.)小孢子发育的超微结构。小孢子母细胞时期内质网和质体较多;减数分裂和四分体时期,细胞处于明显的代谢活跃状态,细胞器丰富,主要有内质网、线粒体、质体、高尔基体和球状体;在小孢子发育早期和晚期,线粒体和内质网仍较丰富;小孢子经过高度的不对称分裂后,形成较大的营养细胞和较小的生殖细胞,营养细胞中细胞器数量明显减少,含大量的淀粉和脂类物质,生殖细胞中脂类物质丰富;表皮、药室内壁和中层细胞在小孢子母细胞和四分体时期淀粉粒丰富,小孢子时期明显减少,绒毡层从小孢子母细胞至小孢子发育晚期的细胞器都很丰富,主要为内质网、质体和线粒体,为二胞花粉发育奠定基础。     

脂滴与胞内细胞器互作研究进展

细胞器通过接触及分工协作以实现彼此间的物质交换和信息交流。脂滴是细胞内中性脂的主要贮存场所,但其功能却远不止于此;它还能与内质网、线粒体、溶酶体、细胞核等多种细胞器发生相互作用,共同完成包括脂代谢、膜转运以及信号转导等一系列生理功能的调控。该文整理并归纳了脂滴与胞内细胞器间的接触及动态互作的最新研究进展。对脂滴与胞内细胞器间互作机制及功能的研究不仅拓宽了对脂滴生物学的认知,也有助于进一步理解代谢性疾病的相关发病机制。     

内质网与线粒体接触复合物ERMES在真菌中的结构组成和功能

真核生物细胞中,双层膜细胞器线粒体会进行持续的分裂与融合,从而改变自身形态来满足细胞在不同生长条件下的能量代谢需求.除此之外,线粒体的动态与功能还依赖于与其他细胞器的互作及一些代谢产物在互作过程中的双向交流.与线粒体互作的细胞器包括脂滴、过氧化物酶体、液泡和内质网等.在真菌细胞中,线粒体与内质网的互作由存在二者之间的内...     

内质网应激与帕金森病

内质网是细胞内最重要的细胞器之一,内质网功能与细胞状态密切相关。异常蛋白在内质网的堆积、胆固醇代谢异常、钙代谢紊乱等均能引起内质网应激。内质网应激在细胞生理病理中发挥重要作用。研究表明:内质网应激与神经退行性疾病,如帕金森病密切相关。该文简单概述了内质网应激与帕金森病之间的关系。     

Visualization of reticulophagy in living cells using an endoplasmic reticulum-targeted p62 mutant

Reticulophagy is a type of selective autophagy in which protein aggregate-containing and/or damaged endoplasmic reticulum(ER)fragments are engulfed for lysosomal degradation, which is important for ER homeostasis. Several chemical drugs and mutant proteins that promote protein aggregate formation within the ER lumen can efficiently induce reticulophagy in mammalian cells.However, the exact mechanism and cellular localization of reticulophagy remain unclear. In this report, we took advantage of the self-oligomerization property of p62/SQSTM1, an adaptor for selective autophagy, and developed a novel reticulophagy system based on an ER-targeted p62 mutant to investigate the process of reticulophagy in living cells. LC3 conversion analysis via western blot suggested that p62 mutant aggregate-induced ER stress triggered a cellular autophagic response. Confocal imaging showed that in cells with moderate aggregation conditions, the aggregates of ER-targeted p62 mutants were efficiently sequestered by autophagosomes, which was characterized by colocalization with the autophagosome precursor marker ATG16L1, the omegasome marker DFCP1, and the late autophagosomal marker LC3/GATE-16. Moreover, time-lapse imaging data demonstrated that the LC3-or DFCP1-positive protein aggregates are tightly associated with the reticular structures of the ER, thereby suggesting that reticulophagy occurs at the ER and that omegasomes may be involved in this process.     

Trafficking and intracellular ATPase activity of human ecto-nucleotidase NTPDase3 and the effect of ER-targeted NTPDase3 on protein folding

Ecto-nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolases, NTPDase1 (CD39) and NTPDase3, are integral plasma membrane proteins that hydrolyze extracellular nucleotides, thereby modulating the function of purinergic receptors. During processing in the secretory pathway, the active sites of ecto-nucleotidases are located in the lumen of vesicular compartments, thus raising the question whether the ecto-nucleotidases affect the ATP-dependent processes in these compartments, including protein folding in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). It has been reported (J. Biol. Chem. (2001) 276, 41518-41525) that CD39 is not active until it reaches the plasma membrane, suggesting that terminal glycosylation in Golgi is critical for its activity. To investigate the subcellular location and the mechanism of ecto-nucleotidase activation, we expressed human NTPDase3 in COS-1 cells and blocked the secretory transport with monensin or brefeldin A, or by targeting to ER with a signal peptide. Cell surface biotinylation, sensitivity to glycosidases, and fluorescence microscopy analyses suggest that, in contrast to the previous report on CD39, NTPDase3 becomes catalytically active in the ER or in the ER-Golgi intermediate compartment, and that terminal glycosylation in Golgi is not essential for activity. Moreover, ER-targeted NTPDase3, but not wild-type NTPDase3 or ER-targeted inactive G221A mutant, significantly diminished the folding efficiency and the transport to the plasma membrane of coexpressed CD39 used as a reporter protein. These data suggest that ER-targeted NTPDase3 significantly depletes ATP in ER, whereas wild-type NTPDase3 is likely to acquire ATPase activity in a post-ER, but pre-Golgi, compartment, thus avoiding unproductive ATP hydrolysis and interference with protein folding in the ER. ER-targeted NTPDase3 may be a useful experimental tool to study the effects of ER ATP depletion on ER function under normal and stress conditions.     

Trapping prion protein in the endoplasmic reticulum impairs PrPC maturation and prevents PrPSc accumulation

The conversion of the normal cellular prion protein (PrP(C)) into the abnormal scrapie isoform (PrP(Sc)) is a key feature of prion diseases. The pathogenic mechanisms and the subcellular sites of the conversion are complex and not completely understood. In particular, little is known on the role of the early compartment of the secretory pathway in the processing of PrP(C) and in the pathogenesis of prion diseases. In order to interfere with the intracellular traffic of endogenous PrP(C) we have generated two anti-prion single chain antibody fragments (scFv) directed against different epitopes, each fragment tagged either with a secretory leader or with the ER retention signal KDEL. The stable expression of these constructs in PC12 cells allowed us to study their specific effects on the synthesis, maturation, and processing of endogenous PrP(C) and on PrP(Sc) formation. We found that ER-targeted anti-prion scFvs retain PrP(C) in the ER and inhibit its translocation to the cell surface. Retention in the ER strongly affects the maturation and glycosylation state of PrP(C), with the appearance of a new aberrant endo-H sensitive glycosylated species. Interestingly, ER-trapped PrP(C) acquires detergent insolubility and proteinase K resistance. Furthermore, we show that ER-targeted anti-prion antibodies prevent PrP(Sc) accumulation in nerve growth factor-differentiated PC12 cells, providing a new tool to study the molecular pathology of prion diseases.     

Engineered retargeting of viral RNA replication complexes to an alternative intracellular membrane

Positive-strand RNA virus replication complexes are universally associated with intracellular membranes, although different viruses use membranes derived from diverse and sometimes multiple organelles. We investigated whether unique intracellular membranes are required for viral RNA replication complex formation and function in yeast by retargeting protein A, the Flock House virus (FHV) RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. Protein A, the only viral protein required for FHV RNA replication, targets and anchors replication complexes to outer mitochondrial membranes in part via an N-proximal sequence that contains a transmembrane domain. We replaced the FHV protein A mitochondrial outer membrane-targeting sequence with the N-terminal endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-targeting sequence from the yeast NADP cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase or inverted C-terminal ER-targeting sequences from the hepatitis C virus NS5B polymerase or the yeast t-SNARE Ufe1p. Confocal immunofluorescence microscopy confirmed that protein A chimeras retargeted to the ER. FHV subgenomic and genomic RNA accumulation in yeast expressing ER-targeted protein A increased 2- to 13-fold over that in yeast expressing wild-type protein A, despite similar protein A levels. Density gradient flotation assays demonstrated that ER-targeted protein A remained membrane associated, and in vitro RNA-dependent RNA polymerase assays demonstrated an eightfold increase in the in vitro RNA synthesis activity of the ER-targeted FHV RNA replication complexes. Electron microscopy showed a change in the intracellular membrane alterations from a clustered mitochondrial distribution with wild-type protein A to the formation of perinuclear layers with ER-targeted protein A. We conclude that specific intracellular membranes are not required for FHV RNA replication complex formation and function.     

Epigenetic regulation of estrogen signaling in breast cancer

Estrogen signaling is mediated by ERα and ERβ in hormone dependent, breast cancer (BC). Over the last decade the implication of epigenetic pathways in BC tumorigenesis has emerged: cancer-related epigenetic modifications are implicated in both gene expression regulation, and chromosomal instability. In this review, the epigenetic-mediated estrogen signaling, controlling both ER level and ER-targeted gene expression in BC, are discussed: (1) ER silencing is frequently observed in BC and is often associated with epigenetic regulations while chemical epigenetic modulators restore ER expression and increase response to treatment;(2) ER-targeted gene expression is tightly regulated by co-recruitment of ER and both coactivators/corepressors including HATs, HDACs, HMTs, Dnmts and Polycomb proteins.     

Bax and Bak can localize to the endoplasmic reticulum to initiate apoptosis

Bax and Bak play a redundant but essential role in apoptosis initiated by the mitochondrial release of apoptogenic factors. In addition to their presence at the mitochondrial outer membrane, Bax and Bak can also localize to the ER. Agents that initiate ER stress responses can induce conformational changes and oligomerization of Bax on the ER as well as on mitochondria. In wild-type cells, this is associated with caspase 12 cleavage that is abolished in bax-/-bak-/- cells. In bax-/-bak-/- cells, introduction of Bak mutants selectively targeted to either mitochondria or the ER can induce apoptosis. However, ER-targeted, but not mitochondria-targeted, Bak leads to progressive depletion of ER Ca2+ and induces caspase 12 cleavage. In contrast, mitochondria-targeted Bak leads to enhanced caspase 7 and PARP cleavage in comparison with the ER-targeted Bak. These findings demonstrate that in addition to their functions at mitochondria, Bax and Bak also localize to the ER and function to initiate a parallel pathway of caspase activation and apoptosis.     

Caspase-12 and endoplasmic reticulum stress mediate neurotoxicity of pathological prion protein

Prion diseases are characterized by accumulation of misfolded prion protein (PrP(Sc)), and neuronal death by apoptosis. Here we show that nanomolar concentrations of purified PrP(Sc) from mouse scrapie brain induce apoptosis of N2A neuroblastoma cells. PrP(Sc) toxicity was associated with an increase of intracellular calcium released from endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and up-regulation of several ER chaperones. Caspase-12 activation was detected in cells treated with PrP(Sc), and cellular death was inhibited by overexpression of a catalytic mutant of caspase-12 or an ER-targeted Bcl-2 chimeric protein. Scrapie-infected N2A cells were more susceptible to ER-stress and to PrP(Sc) toxicity than non-infected cells. In scrapie-infected mice a correlation between caspase-12 activation and neuronal loss was observed in histological and biochemical analyses of different brain areas. The extent of prion replication was closely correlated with the up-regulation of ER-stress chaperone proteins. Similar results were observed in humans affected with sporadic and variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, implicating for the first time the caspase-12 dependent pathway in a neurodegenerative disease in vivo, and thus offering novel potential targets for the treatment of prion disorders.     

Evidence of a continuous endoplasmic reticulum in the protozoan parasite Entamoeba histolytica

Entamoeba histolytica, the cause of amebiasis, is believed to have no continuous endoplasmic reticulum (ER), with ER functions occurring in vesicles. Here, using an ER-targeted green fluorescent protein fusion protein and fluorescence loss in photobleaching, we have unambiguously demonstrated the presence of a continuous ER compartment in living E. histolytica trophozoites.     

Quality control system of the endoplasmic reticulum and related diseases

The quality control (QC) system of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is an important monitoringmechanism in the protein maturation process,which ensures export of properly folded proteins from the ER.Incorrectly or incompletely folded proteins are retained in the ER for refolding or degradation by the ER-residing proteasome.The calnexin/calreticulin cycle and ER-associated degradation are the key elements inQC.These two mechanisms work together to allow incorrectly folded proteins have additional opportunitiesto achieve their native conformations.The QC dysfunction is involved in many diseases caused by mutantproteins,many of which are causes of neurodegenerative disorders.A better understanding of molecularregulation in the QC system will uncover the molecular pathogenic mechanisms of many diseases caused byprotein misfolding and help discover novel strategies for preventing or treating these diseases.