我国北方地区鼻咽癌患者EB病毒LMP1基因缺失分析

为研究我国北方地区鼻咽癌和非鼻咽癌患者Epstein-Barr病毒(EBV)潜伏膜蛋白1(LMP1)基因C端区缺失状况,探讨其在鼻咽癌发生中所起的作用.收集我国东北地区鼻咽癌石蜡组织22例,非鼻咽癌患者外周血26例,提取DNA后,采用聚合酶链反应技术(PCR)扩增LMP1基因的C末端,对其中有缺失的4例鼻咽癌进行了克隆和序列分析.结果显示:22例鼻咽癌组织标本中,有19例扩增出特异性条带,阳性率为86%.其中8例存在缺失,缺失率42%.取4例缺失样品进行序列分析,并与B95-8原型LMP1做比较,结果显示:4例鼻咽癌样品均存在30个碱基的缺失和某些位点的单点突变,并由此引起所编码的氨基酸改变.26例非鼻咽癌患者LMP1阳性扩增率为92.31%,无一例缺失.此结果表明:与广东、广西鼻咽癌高发区相比,我国北方地区鼻咽癌与非鼻咽癌患者中EB病毒LMP1基因缺失型和原型的分布有明显的地区差异.     

EB病毒LMP1 CTAR1、CTAR2的表达促使人鼻咽癌细胞HNE2增殖

探讨EB病毒LMP1不同结构域在鼻咽癌中的致瘤作用,为阐明鼻咽癌分子发病机理,寻找治疗鼻咽癌的分子靶提供实验依据。以转染空白载体为对照,利用电穿孔转染方法,建立稳定表达LMP1不同突变体的鼻咽癌细胞系HNE2-LMP1(1～815)、HNE2-LMP1(1～231)、HNE2-LMP1△187～351,并以这些细胞系为材料,用MTT法检测增殖期活细胞,BrdU掺入法检测细胞增殖状况,比较各组细胞的软琼脂集落形成率和裸鼠成瘤能力,以观察LMP1不同的结构域对鼻咽癌细胞生长的影响。LMP1(1～231)和LMP1△187～351在体外明显促进HNE2细胞增殖,HNE2-LMP1(1～231)、HNE2-LMP1△187～351平均吸光度(A)比值、BrdU掺入率、软琼脂集落形成率均高于HNE2-pSG5与HNE2(P<0 01),而HNE2-LMP1(1～187)与HNE2-pSG5、HNE2相比,这些指标无明显差别。HNE2-LMP1△187～351和HNE2-LMP1(1～231)的裸鼠成瘤潜伏期、倍增时间与平均瘤重明显高于HNE2-pSG5鼻咽癌细胞系,其差异有显著的统计学意义(P<0 05)。而HNE2-LMP1(1～187)、HNE2-pSG5和HNE2鼻咽癌细胞系在潜伏期、倍增时间与平均瘤重方面两两比较,差异无显著的统计学意义(P>0 05)。EB病毒LMP1CTAR1和CTAR2对HNE2细胞生长有明显促进作用,提示EB病毒LMP1可能在鼻咽癌的发生发展中起着重要的作用。     

The Epstein-Barr Virus BDLF4 Gene Is Required for Efficient Expression of Viral Late Lytic Genes

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a gammaherpesvirus, associated with infectious mononucleosis and various types of malignancy. We focused here on the BDLF4 gene of EBV and identified it as a lytic gene, expressed with early kinetics. Viral late gene expression of the BDLF4 knockout strain was severely restricted; this could be restored by an exogenous supply of BDLF4. These results indicate that BDLF4 is important for the EBV lytic replication cycle, especially in late gene expression.     

Virus Attenuation after Deletion of the Cytomegalovirus Fc Receptor Gene Is Not due to Antibody Control

The murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) fcr-1 gene codes for a glycoprotein located at the surface of infected cells which strongly binds the Fc fragment of murine immunoglobulin G. To determine the biological significance of the fcr-1 gene during viral infection, we constructed MCMV fcr-1 deletion mutants and revertants. The fcr-1 gene was disrupted by insertion of the Escherichia coli lacZ gene. In another mutant, the marker gene was also deleted, by recombinase cre. As expected for its hypothetical role in immunoevasion, the infection of mice with fcr-1 deletion mutants resulted in significantly restricted replication in comparison with wild-type MCMV and revertant virus. In mutant mice lacking antibodies, however, the fcr-1 deletion mutants also replicated poorly. This demonstrated that the cell surface-expressed viral glycoprotein with FcR activity strongly modulates the virus-host interaction but that this biological function is not caused by the immunoglobulin binding property.     

Expression of the Epidermodysplasia Verruciformis-Associated Genes EVER1 and EVER2 Is Activated by Exogenous DNA and Inhibited by LMP1 Oncoprotein from Epstein-Barr Virus

EVER1 and EVER2 are mutated in epidermodysplasia verruciformis patients, who are susceptible to human betapapillomavirus (HPV) infection. It is unknown whether their products control the infection of other viruses. Here, we show that the expression of both genes in B cells is activated immediately after Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection, whereas at later stages, it is strongly repressed via activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway by latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1). Ectopic expression of EVER1 impairs the ability of EBV to infect B cells.     

EB病毒LMP1 C-端序列缺失对细胞增殖的影响

潜伏膜蛋白1(Latent membrane protein 1,LMP1)是由γ疱疹病毒亚科的EB病毒基因编码的能够使正常细胞发生恶性转化的跨膜信号蛋白,C-端为LMP1的主要功能区。通过PCR从B95-8细胞和鼻咽癌活检组织中获得lmp1和lmp1 C-端30bp缺失(lmp1 C-terminal deleted,lmp1-ctd)基因;利用体外基因重组技术,将lmp1和lmp1-ctd分别插入AAV质粒载体中;应用Lipofectamine介导转染HEK-293包装细胞,获得含lmp1和lmp1-ctd的rAAV;再以rAAV感染猴肾上皮细胞。利用RT-PCR检测lmp1和lmp1-ctd在猴肾上皮细胞中的转录;MTT法、流式细胞仪技术检测细胞生长和DNA合成,探讨lmp1和lmp1-ctd对其在细胞中活性的影响。结果显示:lmp1在转化细胞中转录,导致细胞生长速度加快,其中lmp1-ctd转化细胞的生长速度和处于增殖期比例高于lmp1转化细胞。提示lmp1-ctd较lmp1具有更强的促细胞增殖作用。     

Functional Differences between BHRF1, the Epstein-Barr Virus-Encoded Bcl-2 Homologue, and Bcl-2 in Human Epithelial Cells

BHRF1, a component of the restricted early antigen complex of the Epstein-Barr virus lytic cycle, encodes a 17-kDa protein with both sequence and functional homology to the antiapoptotic Bcl-2 oncogene. Recent work has suggested that BHRF1 behaves like Bcl-2 in protecting cells from apoptosis induced by a range of stimuli. In this study, the effect of BHRF1 and Bcl-2 on the growth and differentiation of the SCC12F human epithelial cell line was examined. The levels of stable transfected BHRF1 expression achievable in SCC12F cells was consistently lower than that obtained with Bcl-2. While both BHRF1 and Bcl-2 inhibited epithelial differentiation, the effect of Bcl-2 was more pronounced, resulting in an almost complete blockade of differentiation in organotypic raft cultures. However, BHRF1-expressing SCC12F cells proliferated at a much higher rate than SCC12F cells expressing Bcl-2, and this effect was supported by cell cycle analysis which demonstrated that BHRF1, but not Bcl-2, promotes rapid transit through the cell cycle. These data highlight important differences between BHRF1 and Bcl-2 and suggest that BHRF1 may function to promote the survival and proliferation of lytically infected cells. The proliferative properties of BHRF1 described in this study, together with the demonstration that other oncogenic gamma herpesviruses encode Bcl-2 homologues, suggests that these proteins may serve to increase the susceptibility of virus-infected cells to oncogenic transformation, thereby contributing to the development of virus-associated tumors.     

Epstein-Barr Virus Promotes Epithelial Cell Growth in the Absence of EBNA2 and LMP1 Expression

We attempted to infect primary gastric epithelia (PGE) with recombinant Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) carrying a selectable marker that made it possible to select EBV-infected cells. Cells dually positive for EBV-determined nuclear antigen (EBNA) and cytokeratin were detected in 3 of 21 primary cultures after 3 days of EBV inoculation. From one culture, EBV-infected cell clones were repeatedly obtained at a frequency of 3 to 5 cell clones per 10⁶ cells. EBV-infected clones had enhanced population doubling and grew to attain a highly increased saturation density, together with acquisition of marked anchorage independence. The infected clones retained the ultrastructural morphology characteristic of gastric mucosal epithelium and have been growing stably for more than 18 months (corresponding to at least 300 generations) so far, in clear contrast to the parental PGE cells, which ceased growth after 60 generations. The p53 gene of the parental PGE cells was found to be overexpressed, perhaps thereby conferring the basal potential for long-term survival in vitro. Moreover, EBV infection accelerated, to a significant extent, the growth rate and agar clonability of NU-GC-3 cells, an established EBV-negative but EBV-susceptible human gastric carcinoma cell line. Both EBV-converted PGE and NU-GC-3 clones, like EBV-positive gastric carcinoma biopsy specimens, expressed a restricted set of EBV latent infection genes characterized by the absence of EBNA2 and latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1) expression. These results indicate that EBV infection causes a transformed phenotype on PGE in the setting of possible unregulated cell cycling and renders even established gastric carcinoma cells more malignant via a limited spectrum of viral latent-gene expression. This study may reflect an in vivo scenario illustrating multiphasic involvement of EBV in carcinogenesis of gastric or other epithelial cancers.     

An Endogenous Inhibitor of Human Immunodeficiency Virus in Human Lymphocytes Is Overcome by the Viral Vif Protein

The vif gene of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) encodes a basic M_r 23,000 protein that is necessary for production of infectious virions by nonpermissive cells (human lymphocytes and macrophages) but not by permissive cells such as HeLa-CD4. It had been proposed that permissive cells may contain an unidentified factor that functions like the viral Vif protein. To test this hypothesis, we produced pseudotyped wild-type and vif-deleted HIV gpt virions (which contain the HIV-1 genome with the bacterial mycophenolic acid resistance gene gpt in place of the viral env gene) in permissive cells, and we used them to generate nonpermissive H9 leukemic T cells that express these proviruses. We then fused these H9 cells with permissive HeLa cells that express the HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein gp120-gp41, and we asked whether the heterokaryons would release infectious HIV gpt virions. The results clearly showed that the vif-deleted virions released by the heterokaryons were noninfectious whereas the wild-type virions were highly infectious. This strongly suggests that nonpermissive cells, the natural targets of HIV-1, contain a potent endogenous inhibitor of HIV-1 replication that is overcome by Vif.     

鼻咽癌中EB病毒LMP1激活TRAFs的初步研究

在EB病毒潜伏膜蛋白LMP1介导的信号传导通路中,TRAFs作为LMP1活化的第一位信号分子,可能扮演着重要的分子开关角色。令人关注的是,在上皮性肿瘤NPC的发生中,EB病毒LMP1能否激活重要的TRAFs信号分子?究竟激活何种TRAFs信号分子,激活的机制何在?将LMP1cDNA导入LMP1表达阴性的HNE2中,建立稳定表达LMP1的鼻咽癌细胞系HNE2-LMP1。以此为材料,应用差异RT-PCR和Western blotting法证实,无论在RNA水平,还是蛋白水平上,TRAF1在HNE2-LMP1中表达较HNE2强,而TRAF2及TRAF3在HNE2-LMP1与HNE2细胞中表达无明显差异;进一步用免疫共沉淀-Western blotting证实LMP1可使TRAF1、TRAF2、TRAF3磷酸化而被活化。这些结果提示在鼻咽癌中,LMP1可能诱导TRAF1表达,而对TRAF2及TRAF3并不影响,但LMP1可磷酸化TRAF1、TRAF2、TRAF3而使其功能性活化。q     

The Major Site of Phosphorylation within the Rous Sarcoma Virus MA Protein Is Not Required for Replication

About one-third of the MA protein in Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) is phosphorylated. Previous analyses of this fraction have suggested that serine residues 68 and 106 are the major sites of phosphorylation. As a follow-up to that study, we have characterized mutants which have these putative phosphorylation sites changed to alanine, either separately or together. None of the substitutions (S68A, S106A, or S68/106A) had an effect on the budding efficiency or infectivity of the virus. Upon examination of the ³²P-labeled viral proteins, we found that the S68A substitution did not affect phosphorylation in vivo at all. In contrast, the S106A substitution prevented all detectable phosphorylation of MA, suggesting that there is only one major site of phosphorylation in MA. We also found that the RSV MA protein is phosphorylated on tyrosine, but the amount was low and detectable only with large numbers of virions and an antibody specific for phosphotyrosine.     

The Comparative and Functional Study between Two Construction Methods of shRNA Expression Vector Targeted LMP1 Gene Encoded by EBV

To look for a more stable and convenient way of constructing short hairpin RNA expression vectors targeting the latent membrane protein-1(LMP-1) encoded by Epstein-Barr virus(pshLMP1), and to study the inhibition function of pshLMP1 expression vectors in HNE1 cells, we designed the pshLMP1 expression cassette and pshLMP1 expression vectors by both the annealing method and PCR method and then co-transfected with pEGFP-N1-1158 into HNE1 cells to observe the mRNA and protein levels of LMP-1 genes by green fluorescence analysis, RT-PCR and western blot. pshLMP1 expression vectors were successfully obtained by both methods but better cloning efficiency was achieved and fewer deletions and mutations of nucleotides were achieved with the PCR method. Furthermore, the mRNA and protein levels of LMP-1 genes were down-regulated by pshLMP1 expression vectors. According to our research, we found that the PCR method provides a more efficient way to construct pshLMP1 expression vectors which have the ability to inhibit the function of LMP-1 genes expressed in HNE1 cells, and also provides a novel application of RNA interference technology against-EBV.     

The Comparative and Functional Study between Two Construction Methods of shRNA Expression Vector Targeted LMP1 Gene Encoded by EBV

To look for a more stable and convenient way of constructing short hairpin RNA expression vectors targeting the latent membrane protein-1(LMP-1)encoded by Epstein-Barr virus(pshLMP1),and to study the inhibition function of pshLMP1 expression vectors in HNE1 cells,we designed the pshLMP1 expression cassette and pshLMP1 expression vectors by both the annealing method and PCR method and then co-transfected with pEGFP-N1-1158 into HNE1 cells to observe the mRNA and protein levels of LMP-1 genes by green fluorescence analysis,RT-PCR and western blot.pshLMP1 expression vectors were successfully obtained by both methods but better cloning efficiency was achieved and fewer deletions and mutations of nucleotides were achieved with the PCR method.Furthermore,the mRNA and protein levels of LMP-1 genes were down-regulated by pshLMP1 expression vectors.According to our research,we found that the PCR method provides a more efficient way to construct pshLMP1 expression vectors which have the ability to inhibit the function of LMP-1 genes expressed in HNE1 cells,and also provides a novel application of RNA interference technology against-EBV.