生长激素受体信号相关因子在斑马鱼中的比较表达分析及GHR信号通路体内研究模型的建立(英文)

GHR信号通路在动物出生后的生长中扮演着重要角色。实验利用斑马鱼模型研究了GHR信号相关基因在成体组织、胚胎发育以及幼体期的表达情况,这些基因包括gh、ghra、ghrb、jak2a、jak2b、stat5.1、stat5.2、igf1、c-fos、socs1和socs2。值得关注的是,上述的大部分基因都存在母源性表达,且它们的合子表达均起始在体节早期之前。这说明在有功能性的脑垂体形成之前和完善的循环系统建立之前,GH及GH信号相关因子就已经存在于早期胚胎中,因此GH很可能是控制胚胎发育的一系列自分泌/旁分泌生长因子中的一员。同时,我们发现成体组织的socs表达水平与GH信号靶基因igf1和c-fos的表达呈某种程度的负相关。我们利用实时定量PCR技术和荧光素酶分析技术,通过注射GH和GHR表达载体,在斑马鱼胚胎中分析了它们促进GH信号靶基因c-fos和igf1转录活性以及GH应激启动子spi2.1活性的能力。由此,研究利用斑马鱼胚胎建立一个体内研究模型来评估发育过程中的GH信号激活(GHSA)。在受精后1天(dpf)和3dpf斑马鱼胚胎中,单独过表达gh或ghr均可以显著刺激GHSA,这表明在1dpf的斑马鱼胚胎中即存在功能性的GH和GHR蛋白表达,而这一时期是在功能性垂体的形成之前的。gh以及ghr的协同过表达则可以显著放大gh或ghr单独过表达的GHSA效果。     

RGMb/DRAGON与BMP信号转导

RGMb/DRAGON为RGM家族成员之一,在许多组织和器官中存在并表达.最初它作为粘附分子在神经系统中调节轴突排斥被发现.近来研究发现,它还是BMP的辅助受体,与BMP配体和受体结合,通过调控BMP信号通路在繁殖、肾脏机能的维持以及免疫疾病等生理和病理条件下发挥重要作用.本文评述了RGMb的基因及蛋白结构特征、表达定位及其在神经系统中的作用,并重点介绍了其在BMP信号通路中的作用机制和生物学研究进展.     

Dapper在胚胎发育和信号调控中的作用

Dapper（Dpr）是近期发现的信号调控分子。目前研究结果表明,爪蟾和斑马鱼等低等动物的Dpr在早期胚胎发育的多个过程中起重要作用,这些作用主要通过对Wnt和Nodal/TGF-β信号通路的负调控来完成。Wnt和TGF-β信号通路在胚胎发育和疾病发生过程中起着非常重要的作用,因而Dpr可能是通过影响这些信号通路而参与生理、病理过程。研究Dpr在体内的作用方式和机制对于理解生物体生长发育和疾病发生具有重要意义。     

卷曲蛋白受体与肿瘤的研究进展

Wnt基因超家族编码一系列分泌型糖蛋白,由Wnt蛋白介导的Wnt信号通路是一个进化上高度保守的信号通路,在胚胎发育、细胞生长、干细胞增殖中发挥重要的作用.此外研究发现Wnt通路在癌症发生发展中也起着重要作用.Wnt信号配体-Frizzled受体,由Frizzled基因编码,属于7次跨膜蛋白受体家族,与G蛋白偶联受体的结构相似,目前研究发现,从无脊椎动物到脊椎动物至少有10个家族成员,其在心血管系统和其他器官系统中广泛表达.基于这些研究基础,本文将重点阐述Frizzled受体蛋白与疾病的可能或潜在的关系.由于Frizzled受体蛋白在疾病当中发挥了重要作用,并且在癌症中起着分子靶点的作用,我们有理由相信,Frizzled受体将成为一个有效的肿瘤治疗的分子靶点.     

Rspo1调控斑马鱼胚胎汇聚延伸运动的研究

Rspo1 (R-spondin 1)是分泌型Rspos (R-spondins)蛋白家族的成员,在雌性发育、血管生成和癌症等多个方面具有调控作用。为了研究Rspo1在早期胚胎发育中的功能,以斑马鱼(Danio rerio)作为模式生物,利用反转录PCR及原位杂交技术检测rspo1基因的时空表达模式;通过显微注射rspo1 mRNA或rspo1反义寡核苷酸(Morpholino, MO)对rspo1进行过表达或敲降;通过形态观察及原位杂交技术检测胚胎汇聚延伸(Convergence and extension, CE)运动是否正常;利用荧光素酶活性检测实验测定Wnt/PCP信号通路活性水平;通过蛋白印迹法检测表征Wnt/PCP信号通路活性的磷酸化JNK (Jun N-terminal kinase)蛋白的水平。结果显示:rspo1为母源基因,在12hpf前胚胎中呈全身性表达, rspo1的过表达或敲降均影响胚胎的CE运动;过表达rspo1降低Wnt/PCP信号通路报告质粒的活性,而敲降rspo1则增加其活性,与之相一致, rspo1敲降的胚胎中磷酸化JNK的水平显著升高;此外, rsp...     

生长激素和催乳素放射免疫测定法的建立与应用

目的：建立测定大鼠垂体和血浆中生长激素（GH）和催乳素（PRL）含量的高特异性、高灵敏度的双抗放射免疫测定（RIA）法;研究急性低氧对垂体激素GH和PRL的作用。方法：用氯胺－T法进行抗原放射性碘标记;采用平衡饱和加样程序的双抗RIA法测定。结果：用该方法测定急性低氧（0．5h）时血浆和垂体GH和PRL含量,7km低氧,垂体GH含量明显升高（P＜0．05）,血浆则相反;7km低氧,明显降低垂体和血浆PRL含量（P＜0．01）;而5km低氧对GH和PRL的作用与对照组比无统计学差异。结论：本双抗RIA法具有高特异性、高灵敏度及简便易行等特性;用该法测定提示急性低氧可抑制大鼠GH和PRL的分泌。     

α-L-岩藻糖苷酶基因在斑马鱼发育过程中的功能分析

α-L-岩藻糖苷酶(alpha-L-fucosidase,FUCA1/2)是糖基水解酶家族的成员,参与糖蛋白、糖脂等生物大分子的分解代谢反应.为了解α-L-岩藻糖苷酶在动物发育中的功能,检测了fuca1和fuca2在斑马鱼组织和胚胎发育中的特异表达模式.fuca1和fuca2基因在斑马鱼成体中的表达存在组织差异,在斑马鱼的精巢中表达量最高,此外肝脏中也检测到fuca1和fuca2的高表达.在斑马鱼胚胎发育中,在其整个胚胎发育时期均检测到了fuca1和fuca2的表达.构建了fuca1基因的反义表达载体,显微注射到斑马鱼受精卵.统计结果显示反义载体注射导致斑马鱼胚胎高致死率.研究表明,fuca1和fuca2基因在鱼类胚胎发育和成体的精巢、卵巢与肝脏发育中可能具有重要的作用.     

生长激素信号通路调节大鼠再生肝的肝细胞增殖

生长激素(growth hormone, GH)信号通路对机体生长发育具有重要的调控作用。GH通过与特异性膜表面受体结合,启动下游一系列信号通路反应,进而调控细胞增殖、分化和迁移,防止细胞凋亡等。GH对细胞增殖的调控机制一直以来都是研究的热点,但部分肝切除（partial hepatectomy,PH）后,生长激素相关的信号通路是否会活化,调控相关基因的表达,从而促进肝实质细胞增殖,尚未见报道。本文以percoll密度梯度离心结合磁珠分离的大鼠再生肝的肝细胞为材料,采用Rat Genome 230 20芯片与生物信息学相结合的方法,研究GH信号通路对肝再生的调控作用。结果表明,大鼠再生肝的肝细胞中22种基因与GH信号通路相关,其中,Gh1、Jak3、Stat3等14种基因表达上调,Irs3、Ghr、Mras等8种基因表达下调。谱函数（Et）分析基因表达变化预示的细胞增殖活动和信号转导活性表明,GH信号通路的信号传导活性在大鼠肝再生的2~72 h强于对照,所调节的肝细胞增殖活动在6~72 h也强于对照。综上所述,GH信号通路促进大鼠再生肝的肝细胞增殖。     

生长激素促进斑马鱼尾鳍的再生

目的建立生长激素过表达的转基因斑马鱼,研究生长激素在斑马鱼尾鳍再生过程中的作用。方法利用Gateway技术构建表达质粒"pDestTol2CG2; ubi:GH-polyA",在一细胞期显微注射表达质粒和转座酶mRNA后,通过荧光显微镜和qPCR技术筛选鉴定GH过表达的转基因斑马鱼。将斑马鱼分为对照组(野生型)和生长激素过表达组,尾鳍横切后,记录分析斑马鱼尾鳍再生过程。结果转基因斑马鱼中心脏被绿色荧光蛋白标记。荧光定量PCR检测结果显示GH表达水平显著高于对照组(P<0.05)。斑马鱼尾鳍横断后,生长激素过表达组的再生速度显著提高(P<0.05)。结论建立稳定生长激素过表达的转基因斑马鱼品系,过表达生长激素能够提高斑马鱼尾鳍再生速度。     

Slit/Robo通路参与调控小鼠黄体细胞凋亡

本文旨在研究Slit/Robo家族成员在小鼠卵巢组织中的表达及其功能。用real-time PCR检测Slit/Robo家族成员在小鼠卵巢中的mRNA表达丰度,用免疫组织化学方法检测Slit2/Robo1在卵巢组织中的定位,用real-time PCR和免疫组织化学方法检测Slit2/Robo1在不同时期黄体组织中表达的变化,并用Slit/Robo信号通路的阻断剂ROBO1/Fc chimera在体外研究其在小鼠黄体组织中的功能。结果显示,在Slit/Robo家族成员中,配体Slit2和受体Robo1在小鼠卵巢组织中的表达丰度最高,Slit2和Robo1表达定位于小鼠的黄体细胞。与发情前期卵巢相比,间情期卵巢组织中Slit2和Robo1的mRNA表达水平均显著上调(P 0.01, P 0.001)。与妊娠黄体相比,晚期黄体Slit2和Robo1 mRNA表达水平均显著上调。阻断Slit/Robo信号通路后,晚期黄体细胞的凋亡率显著下降(P 0.05)。以上结果提示,Slit/Robo家族成员主要表达于晚期黄体组织,并参与调控黄体细胞的凋亡过程。     

Discovery of a Novel Prolactin in Non-Mammalian Vertebrates: Evolutionary Perspectives and Its Involvement in Teleost Retina Development

Background

The three pituitary hormones, viz. prolactin (PRL), growth hormone (GH) and somatolactin (SL), together with the mammalian placental lactogen (PL), constitute a gene family of hormones with similar gene structure and encoded protein sequences. These hormones are believed to have evolved from a common ancestral gene through several rounds of gene duplication and subsequent divergence.

Principal Findings

In this study, we have identified a new PRL-like gene in non-mammalian vertebrates through bioinformatics and molecular cloning means. Phylogenetic analyses showed that this novel protein is homologous to the previously identified PRL. A receptor transactivation assay further showed that this novel protein could bind to PRL receptor to trigger the downstream post-receptor event, indicating that it is biologically active. In view of its close phylogenetic relationship with PRL and also its ability to activate PRL receptor, we name it as PRL2 and the previously identified PRL as PRL1. All the newly discovered PRL2 sequences possess three conserved disulfide linkages with the exception of the shark PRL2 which has only two. In sharp contrast to the classical PRL1 which is predominantly expressed in the pituitary, PRL2 was found to be mainly expressed in the eye and brain of the zebrafish but not in the pituitary. A largely reduced inner nuclear layer of the retina was observed after morpholino knockdown of zebrafish PRL2, indicating its role on retina development in teleost.

Significance

The discovery of this novel PRL has revitalized our understanding on the evolution of the GH/PRL/SL/PL gene family. Its unique expression and functions in the zebrafish eye also provide a new avenue of research on the neuroendocrine control of retina development in vertebrates.     

Identification of four new members of the rat prolactin/growth hormone gene family.

The rodent prolactin (PRL)/growth hormone (GH) gene family currently consists of at least 14 distinct genes that are expressed mainly in pituitary, uterus, and/or placenta. We report here the identification of novel four members from rat with significant homology to PRL. The encoding proteins are not homologs of other known members of this hormone family. The four new cDNAs were assigned to PRL family based on sequence homology and were referred to as PRL-like protein-I (PLP-I), PLP-J, PLP-K, and PLP-L, following the current naming order of rodent PLP family, where PLP-H is the most recent gene. They encode amino acids with 211-228 amino acids, and 34-38% identity with PRL. All have one or two N-linked glycosylation sites. Among the examined rat tissues by Northern blot analysis, only PLP-I was expressed in testis. Our results indicate that the rodent PRL/GH gene family is large with at least 18 distinct genes.     

Dual regulation role of GH3.5 in salicylic acid and auxin signaling during Arabidopsis-Pseudomonas syringae interaction

Salicylic acid (SA) plays a central role in plant disease resistance, and emerging evidence indicates that auxin, an essential plant hormone in regulating plant growth and development, is involved in plant disease susceptibility. GH3.5, a member of the GH3 family of early auxin-responsive genes in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), encodes a protein possessing in vitro adenylation activity on both indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and SA. Here, we show that GH3.5 acts as a bifunctional modulator in both SA and auxin signaling during pathogen infection. Overexpression of the GH3.5 gene in an activation-tagged mutant gh3.5-1D led to elevated accumulation of SA and increased expression of PR-1 in local and systemic tissues in response to avirulent pathogens. In contrast, two T-DNA insertional mutations of GH3.5 partially compromised the systemic acquired resistance associated with diminished PR-1 expression in systemic tissues. The gh3.5-1D mutant also accumulated high levels of free IAA after pathogen infection and impaired different resistance-gene-mediated resistance, which was also observed in the GH3.6 activation-tagged mutant dfl1-D that impacted the auxin pathway, indicating an important role of GH3.5/GH3.6 in disease susceptibility. Furthermore, microarray analysis showed that the SA and auxin pathways were simultaneously augmented in gh3.5-1D after infection with an avirulent pathogen. The SA pathway was amplified by GH3.5 through inducing SA-responsive genes and basal defense components, whereas the auxin pathway was derepressed through up-regulating IAA biosynthesis and down-regulating auxin repressor genes. Taken together, our data reveal novel regulatory functions of GH3.5 in the plant-pathogen interaction.