维生素E和伊那普利对高糖改变肾小球系膜细胞肌动蛋白组装的影响

研究了维生素E(VE)和伊那普利(EN)对高浓度葡萄糖(HG)所致肾小球系膜细胞(MC)肌动蛋白组装的影响。结果证明,MC在HG培养时,F-actin失去粗大束状外观呈不规则网状,显示F-actin部分去组装。与正常浓度葡萄糖(NG)培养的MC相比,HG引起F-actin荧光强度降低,G-actin荧光强度升高和F/G-actin荧光强度比值下降。VE和EN加入培养后,HG引起的F-actin部分去组装及F-和G-actin荧光强度的变化均恢复正常,提示,VE和EN可防止HG引起的MC actin去组装。     

弱极低频磁场对Actin骨架组装效率的频率窗口效应初探

前期研究发现,50 Hz弱磁场辐照能明显降低细胞的微丝含量和组装效率,对actin骨架形态也有明显影响.电磁生物学效应是否与辐照场频率相关,一直受到研究者的关注.单体球状肌动蛋白(G-actin)是带电结构,电磁场频率会影响其振荡频率并对微丝聚合效率产生影响.本文从细胞骨架形态和蛋白质两层次,采用免疫荧光技术考察0.4 m T,在35~140 Hz范围内5个频率的极低频磁场(ELF-MF)对FL细胞中纤维状肌动蛋白(F-actin)含量的影响,并采用荧光共振能量转移技术(FRET)验证效应最明显的频率对离体G-actin组装效率的干扰程度.结果显示,相比假辐照组,细胞中F-actin含量在50 Hz辐照组下降了(34.66±3.14)%,110 Hz次之,而另外3组(35、70和140 Hz)无显著性差异.同时利用FRET方法验证,在50 Hz磁场辐照下,离体环境中G-actin组装成F-actin的效率较假辐照组、35和70 Hz组显著降低.经初步分析,G-actin在弱ELF-MF中受到以洛伦兹力和感生电场力的合力为主的相关电磁力干扰,致使组装效率下降,且由于工频磁场周期与微丝组装周期的特殊相干性,在50 Hz频率附近可能存在一个外磁场干扰actin骨架组装的频率窗口.     

SM22α对血管平滑肌细胞肌动蛋白聚合和交联的调节

目的:探讨平滑肌22alpha(SM22α)调节血管平滑肌细胞(VSMC)骨架重构的分子机制。方法:血清饥饿法诱导VSMC由合成型转化成收缩型,转染pEGFP-SM22α表达质粒后观察SM22α在细胞中的分布及其与肌动蛋白纤丝(F-actin)的定位关系;应用反义技术封闭内源性SM22α表达,蛋白分步提取和Western blot分析检测敲减SM22α基因表达对肌动蛋白单体G-actin聚合的影响;F-actin体外交联实验观察SM22α对F-actin交联成束的影响。结果:SM22α在细胞中的分布与F-actin相一致;抑制内源性SM22α表达后,细胞中的SMα-actin主要以可溶性单体G-actin形式存在;F-actin体外交联实验结果表明,GST-SM22α蛋白纯品可促进F-actin交联形成粗大、束状的应力纤维,而敲减内源性SM22α的细胞裂解液促进F-actin交联的活性明显降低。结论:SM22α是参与VSMC细胞骨架重构的调节蛋白,不仅可促进G-actin聚合形成F-actin,而且还可加速F-actin交联成束,在VSMC骨架重构过程中起着十分重要的作用。     

肌管细化是失重性肌萎缩结构和功能变化的基础

本文通过新生大鼠原代培养获取骨骼肌肌管,利用水平回转器模拟失重效应,通过F-actin/G-actin以及F-actin/pERK免疫细胞化学染色,观察研究了模拟失重对肌管形态、微丝及磷酸化ERK表达的影响。通过建立的航天飞行失重性肌萎缩的细胞学模型研究发现:回转后肌管变细,F-actin染色减弱伴有G-actin染色增强,同时pERK染色减弱。表明回转模拟失重条件下肌管发生萎缩、微丝解聚并伴随信号转导活性分子磷酸化ERK表达下降。提示肌管细化是失重性肌萎缩结构和功能变化的结构基础     

培养介质pH和EGTA对水霉(Saprolegnia ferax)菌丝细胞肌动蛋白的分布与结构的影响

菌丝在pH 5.0—8.0介质中维持顶端生长,Rhodamin-phalloidin荧光探针显示在菌丝顶端都存在F-actin的“帽子”结构;加入EGTA到培养介质中不影响菌丝的顶端生长和actin的“帽子”结构。值得注意的是:菌丝的Rhodamin-phalloidin荧光强度大小与菌丝顶端生长速率成正比;在含有或不含有EGTA的pH5.0培养条件下,菌丝的生长速率均很低,且后部颗粒状的荧光斑点消失;在pH 3.0-4.0培养介质中菌丝生长停止,不但F-actin“帽子”结构消失,整个菌丝荧光也变得非常微弱无法观察,提示酸性pH可引起F-actin的解聚,从而导致生长速率下降甚至生长停止。     

重组SM22αC端肽段促进细胞骨架重构

目的:探讨SM22αC端功能域肽段与细胞骨架F-actin聚合的关系,明确SM22α在血管平滑肌细胞(VSMC)骨架重构中的作用。方法:构建GST-SM22αC端功能域融合蛋白原核表达质粒pGEX3X-SM22α,诱导E coli高效表达可溶性GST-SM22α融合蛋白,制备抗SM22α抗体,VSMC蛋白分步提取及Western blot检测F-actin/G-actin中SM22α的含量变化,GST-pull down分析和免疫共沉淀检测SM22α与actin的相互作用,细胞免疫双荧光染色观察SM22α和actin在VSMC中的定位关系。结果:所构建的pGEX3X-SM22α原核表达质粒,在0.5mmol/LIPTG,30℃诱导6h条件下,表达可溶性GST-SM22α融合蛋白的水平最高,用纯化的融合蛋白免疫新西兰白兔获得的抗血清效价为1∶16。免疫双荧光染色和蛋白分步提取分析结果表明,在VSMC再分析过程中,SM22α与F-actin共定位,GSTpull down分析和免疫共沉淀结果均显示,SM22α通过C端功能域与F-actin相互作用而参与细胞骨架的重构;但是,SM22α与G-actin的结合能力较弱。结论:本研究重组得到的SM22αC端功能域具有与F-actin结合的活性,SM22α通过该区域与actin相互作用而参与细胞骨架重构。     

血清反应因子参与RhoA诱导的人血管内皮细胞肌动蛋白骨架重构

为进一步阐明RhoA调控人脐静脉内皮细胞(human umbilical vein endothelial cell,HUVEC)肌动蛋白骨架重构的分子机制,用逆转录病毒感染并筛选出稳定表达持续活化型RhoA(Q63LRhoA)和主导抑制型RhoA(T19NRhoA)的HUVECs。应用免疫组化和Western blot方法分析去血清前后HUVECs血清反应因子(serum response factor,SRF)的表达及定位,Rhodamine-Phalloidine染色观察F-actin动态变化。结果显示,Q63LRhoA组细胞核中SRF表达增加,F-actin重排形成大量应力纤维;T19NRhoA组中SRF表达较弱,F-actin无明显改变,无应力纤维形成。去血清后,正常HUVECs(对照组)和感染细胞中SRF的表达均显著增加,但其亚细胞定位明显不同。对照组去血清培养3d,SRF主要定位在细胞核,去血清培养5d,SRF出核转位入细胞浆。Q63LRhoA组SRF发生核滞留,不随去血清培养时间延长发生出核转位现象。T19NRhoA组SRF的表达主要定位于细胞核周。对照组去血清培养3d,F-actin表达增加,同时形成大量应力纤维,去血清培养5d,细胞F-actin表达下调,应力纤维解聚。Q63LRhoA组F-actin重构持续发生并形成大量应力纤维,但不随去血清培养时间延长发生明显解聚。而T19NRhoA组F-actin表达不随去血清时间延长而增加。上述结果提示,RhoA介导HUVECs F-actin的重构与SRF的核转位现象密切相关。     

阿柏西普减轻高糖诱导的视网膜色素上皮细胞损伤和PI3K/AKT信号通路活化

目的 探究阿柏西普(aflibercept,ABC)对高糖诱导的视网膜色素上皮细胞损伤的影响及可能机制.方法 取人视网膜色素上皮细胞APRE-19,并随机分为对照组、高糖组(HG)和HG+ABC组.其中对照组细胞常规培养,HG组细胞用30mmol/L葡萄糖培养液培养,HG+ABC组细胞用30mmol/L葡萄糖和2mg/...     

高糖诱导的大鼠原代心肌细胞损伤对程序性坏死的影响及其机制*

目的: 探讨程序性坏死在高糖诱导的大鼠原代心肌细胞损伤中的变化及可能机制。方法: 原代大鼠心肌细胞随机分为4组(n=9):正常对照组(Control,5.5 mmol/L葡萄糖培养心肌细胞48 h)、高糖组(HG,30 mmol/L葡萄糖培养心肌细胞48 h)、HG+Nec-1(30 mmol/L葡萄糖+100 μmol/L程序性坏死关键蛋白RIP1抑制剂Nec-1共同培养心肌细胞48 h)组、高渗组(HPG,5.5 mmol/L葡萄糖+24.5 mmol/L甘露醇共同培养心肌细胞48 h)。MTT法检测各组心肌细胞活力,DHE荧光染色检测细胞氧化应激水平,ELISA法检测心肌细胞TNF-α、IL-6及IL-1β水平,Real-time PCR和Western blot分别检测各组程序性坏死关键蛋白RIP1、RIP3、MLKL mRNA和蛋白水平的表达情况。结果: 与Control组相比,HG组心肌细胞活力明显降低(P＜0.01),氧化应激水平明显增高(P＜0.01),TNF-α、IL-6及IL-1β水平升高明显(P＜0.01),RIP1、RIP3、MLKL mRNA及蛋白水平表达均明显升高(P＜0.05);与HG组相比,HG+Nec-1组心肌细胞活力明显升高(P＜0.01),氧化应激水平明显下降(P＜0.01),TNF-α、IL-6及 IL-1β水平明显降低(P＜0.01), RIP1、RIP3、MLKL mRNA及蛋白水平表达均下降(P＜0.05)。结论: 高糖诱导的原代大鼠心肌细胞损伤可引起程序性坏死的发生;抑制程序性坏死可减轻细胞损伤的机制,可能与抑制氧化应激、减轻炎症反应有关。     

不同应变对骨髓间充质干细胞系细胞骨架影响的研究

目的:探讨不同应变对骨髓间充质干细胞系细胞骨架形态的影响。方法:实验分为六组,Ⅰ组(静态培养)、Ⅱ组(静态培养 细胞松驰素B)、Ⅲ组(10%应变12h)、Ⅳ组(10%应变12h 细胞松驰素B)、Ⅴ组(10%应变24h)、Ⅵ组(10%应变24h 细胞松驰素B)。分别对其施加10%0.5Hz的周期性应变,采用激光共聚焦显微镜技术和考马斯亮蓝染色方法对小鼠骨髓间充质干细胞系(D1细胞)细胞骨架进行形态观察、细胞F-肌动蛋白表达定量分析。结果:细胞受到不同周期性应变后,细胞的排列方向发生改变,细胞内的F-肌动蛋白排列同细胞的方向一致,随着拉伸时间的延长,F-肌动蛋白发生部分的断裂,F-肌动蛋白的荧光强度同静态组相比明显减弱(P<0.01);当加入细胞松驰素B后,细胞内F-肌动蛋白结构发生改变,在力的作用下,细胞内微丝断裂明显,随着拉伸时间的延长,微丝断裂更为加剧,F-肌动蛋白的荧光强度同静态组相比显著减弱(P<0.01)。结论:不同周期性应变对细胞微丝结构产生一定的影响,微丝在细胞感应力的响应中起重要作用。     

Comparisons of Endothelial Cell G- and F-Actin Distribution in Situ and in Vitro

Numerous studies have described the F-actin cytoskeleton; however, little information relevant to C-actin is available. The actin pools of bovine aortic endothelial cells were examined using in situ and in vitro conditions and fluorescent probes for G-(deoxyribonuclease I.0.3 μM) or F-actin (phalloidin, 0.2 μM). Cells in situ displayed a diffuse G-actin distribution, while F-actin was concentrated in the cell periphery and in fine stress fibers that traversed some cells. Cells of subconfluent or just confluent cultures demonstrated intense fluorescence, with many F-actin stress fibers. Postconfluent cultures resembled the condition in situ; peripheral F-actin was prominent, traversing actin stress fibers were greatly reduced and fluorescent intensity was diminished. Postconfluency had little influence on G-actin. with only an enhancement in the intensity of G-actin punctate fluorescence. When post-confluent cultures were incubated with cytochalasin D (15 min; 10^--⁴ M), F-actin networks were disrupted and actin punctate and diffuse fluorescence increased. G-actin fluorescence was not altered by the incubation. Although its unstructured nature may account for the minor changes observed, the stability of the G-actin pool in the presence of notable F-actin modulations suggested that filamentous actin was the key constituent involved in these actin cytoskeletal alterations. A separate finding illustrated that the concomitant use of actin probes with image enhancement and fluorescent microscopy could reveal simultaneously the G- and F-actin pools within the same cell.     

Hyper-mobility of water around actin filaments revealed using pulse-field gradient spin-echo 1H NMR and fluorescence spectroscopy

This paper reports that water molecules around F-actin, a polymerized form of actin, are more mobile than those around G-actin or in bulk water. A measurement using pulse-field gradient spin-echo (1)H NMR showed that the self-diffusion coefficient of water in aqueous F-actin solution increased with actin concentration by ～5%, whereas that in G-actin solution was close to that of pure water. This indicates that an F-actin/water interaction is responsible for the high self-diffusion of water. The local viscosity around actin was also investigated by fluorescence measurements of Cy3, a fluorescent dye, conjugated to Cys 374 of actin. The steady-state fluorescence anisotropy of Cy3 attached to F-actin was 0.270, which was lower than that for G-actin, 0.334. Taking into account the fluorescence lifetimes of the Cy3 bound to actin, their rotational correlation times were estimated to be 3.8 and 9.1ns for F- and G-actin, respectively. This indicates that Cy3 bound to F-actin rotates more freely than that bound to G-actin, and therefore the local water viscosity is lower around F-actin than around G-actin.     

Hyper-mobility of water around actin filaments revealed using pulse-field gradient spin-echo H NMR and fluorescence spectroscopy

This paper reports that water molecules around F-actin, a polymerized form of actin, are more mobile than those around G-actin or in bulk water. A measurement using pulse-field gradient spin-echo ¹H NMR showed that the self-diffusion coefficient of water in aqueous F-actin solution increased with actin concentration by ∼5%, whereas that in G-actin solution was close to that of pure water. This indicates that an F-actin/water interaction is responsible for the high self-diffusion of water. The local viscosity around actin was also investigated by fluorescence measurements of Cy3, a fluorescent dye, conjugated to Cys 374 of actin. The steady-state fluorescence anisotropy of Cy3 attached to F-actin was 0.270, which was lower than that for G-actin, 0.334. Taking into account the fluorescence lifetimes of the Cy3 bound to actin, their rotational correlation times were estimated to be 3.8 and 9.1 ns for F- and G-actin, respectively. This indicates that Cy3 bound to F-actin rotates more freely than that bound to G-actin, and therefore the local water viscosity is lower around F-actin than around G-actin.     

Use of fluorescently labelled deoxyribonuclease I to spatially measure G-actin levels in migrating and non-migrating cells.

Lamellipodium protrusion is linked to actin filament disassembly in migrating fibroblasts [Cramer, 1999: Curr. Biol. 9:1095-1105]. To further study this relationship, we have identified a method to specifically and sensitively detect G-actin in distinct spatial locations in motile cells using deoxyribonuclease I (DNase I). Although DNase I can bind both G- and F-actin in vitro [Mannherz et al., 1980: Eur. J. Biochem. 95:377-385], when cells were fixed in formaldehyde and permeabilized in detergent, fluorescently-labelled DNase I specifically stained G-actin and not F-actin. 92-98% of actin molecules were stably retained in cells during fixation and permeabilization. Further, increasing or decreasing cellular G-actin concentration by treating live cells with latrunculin-A or jasplakinolide, respectively, caused a respective increase and decrease in DNase I cell-staining intensity as expected. These changes in DNase I fluorescence intensity accurately reflected increases and decreases in cellular G-actin concentration independently measured in lysates prepared from drug-treated live cells (regression coefficient = 0.98). This shows that DNase I cell-staining is very sensitive using this method. Applying this method, we found that the ratio of G-/F-actin is lower in both the lamellipodium and in a broad band immediately behind the lamellipodium in migrating compared to non-migrating fibroblasts. Thus, we predict that protrusion of the lamellipodium in migrating fibroblasts requires tight coupling to filament disassembly at least in part because G-actin is relatively limited within and behind the lamellipodium. This is the first report to directly demonstrate high sensitivity of cell-staining for any G-actin probe and this, together with the ready commercial accessibility of fluorescently-labelled DNase I, make it a simple, convenient, and sensitive tool for cell-staining of G-actin.     

Quantitative analysis of G-actin transport in motile cells

Cell migration is based on an actin treadmill, which in turn depends on recycling of G-actin across the cell, from the rear where F-actin disassembles, to the front, where F-actin polymerizes. To analyze the rates of the actin transport, we used the Virtual Cell software to solve the diffusion-drift-reaction equations for the G-actin concentration in a realistic three-dimensional geometry of the motile cell. Numerical solutions demonstrate that F-actin disassembly at the cell rear and assembly at the front, along with diffusion, establish a G-actin gradient that transports G-actin forward “globally” across the lamellipod. Alternatively, if the F-actin assembly and disassembly are distributed throughout the lamellipod, F-/G-actin turnover is local, and diffusion plays little role. Chemical reactions and/or convective flow of cytoplasm of plausible magnitude affect the transport very little. Spatial distribution of G-actin is smooth and not sensitive to F-actin density fluctuations. Finally, we conclude that the cell body volume slows characteristic diffusion-related relaxation time in motile cell from ∼10 to ∼100 s. We discuss biological implications of the local and global regimes of the G-actin transport.     

Cyclase-associated Protein (CAP) Acts Directly on F-actin to Accelerate Cofilin-mediated Actin Severing across the Range of Physiological pH

Fast actin depolymerization is necessary for cells to rapidly reorganize actin filament networks. Utilizing a Listeria fluorescent actin comet tail assay to monitor actin disassembly rates, we observed that although a mixture of actin disassembly factors (cofilin, coronin, and actin-interacting protein 1 is sufficient to disassemble actin comet tails in the presence of physiological G-actin concentrations this mixture was insufficient to disassemble actin comet tails in the presence of physiological F-actin concentrations. Using biochemical complementation, we purified cyclase-associated protein (CAP) from thymus extracts as a factor that protects against the inhibition of excess F-actin. CAP has been shown to participate in actin dynamics but has been thought to act by liberating cofilin from ADP·G-actin monomers to restore cofilin activity. However, we found that CAP augments cofilin-mediated disassembly by accelerating the rate of cofilin-mediated severing. We also demonstrated that CAP acts directly on F-actin and severs actin filaments at acidic, but not neutral, pH. At the neutral pH characteristic of cytosol in most mammalian cells, we demonstrated that neither CAP nor cofilin are capable of severing actin filaments. However, the combination of CAP and cofilin rapidly severed actin at all pH values across the physiological range. Therefore, our results reveal a new function for CAP in accelerating cofilin-mediated actin filament severing and provide a mechanism through which cells can maintain high actin turnover rates without having to alkalinize cytosol, which would affect many biochemical reactions beyond actin depolymerization.     

Fluorescence energy transfer measurements between the nucleotide binding site and Cys-373 in actin and their application to the kinetics of actin polymerization

Intramonomer fluorescence energy transfer between the donor epsilon-ATP bound to the nucleotide-binding site and the acceptor 7-chloro-4-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazole bound to Cys-373 in G-actin was measured by steady-state fluorimetry. Assuming for the orientation factor its dynamic limit K2 = 2/3, the donor and acceptor distance in a G-actin molecule was calculated to be about 3 nm. The intermonomer energy transfer in F-actin occurring between the donor bound to an actin monomer and the acceptor bound to the nearest-neighbour actin monomer was also measured and the distance was calculated to be about 4 nm. The kinetics of the actin polymerization process was studied by following the decrease in fluorescence intensity upon addition of salts to G-actin solution. The initial velocity of the fluorescence intensity change was proportional to the square of the initial G-actin concentration. The temperature dependence of the velocity was proportional to the square of the initial G-actin concentration. The temperature dependence of the velocity was proportional to exp(-10/RT). These results indicated that the initial fluorescence intensity change corresponds to monomer-dimer transformation and its activation enthalpy was 10 kcal/mol.     

An actin-interacting heptapeptide in the cofilin sequence

Cofilin, a 21-kDa actin-binding protein, has a hexapeptide sequence DAIKKK which is identical to the N-terminal portion (residues 2-7) of tropomyosin. The synthetic heptapeptide, DAIKKKL, corresponding to residues 122-128 of cofilin, inhibited the binding of cofilin to F-actin in a dose-dependent manner. The heptapeptide cosedimented with F-actin, decreased the fluorescence intensity of pyrene-labeled F-actin, and increased the rate of polymerization of G-actin. The hexapeptides, DIKKKL and DAIKKL, also inhibited the binding of cofilin to F-actin and affected the fluorescence intensity of pyrene-labeled F-actin and the rate of actin polymerization, like the heptapeptide. However, their effects were weaker than those of the heptapeptide. Moreover, the pentapeptide, DIKKL, had little or no effect. These results suggest that the heptapeptide sequence is specific for the interaction with actin and, therefore, may constitute part of the actin-binding domain of cofilin.     

Intermolecular coupling between loop 38-52 and the C-terminus in actin filaments.

The recently reported structural connectivity in F-actin between the DNase I binding loop on actin (residues 38-52) and the C-terminus region was investigated by fluorescence and proteolytic digestion methods. The binding of copper to Cys-374 on F- but not G-actin quenched the fluorescence of dansyl ethylenediamine (DED) attached to Gin-41 by more than 50%. The blocking of copper binding to DED-actin by N-ethylmaleimide labeling of Cys-374 on actin abolished the fluorescence quenching. The quenching of DED-actin fluorescence was restored in copolymers (1:9) of N-ethylmaleimide-DED-actin with unlabeled actin. The quenching of DED-actin fluorescence by copper was also abolished in copolymers (1:4) of DED-actin and N-ethylmaleimide-actin. These results show intermolecular coupling between loop 38-52 and the C-terminus in F-actin. Consistent with this, the rate of subtilisin cleavage of actin at loop 38-52 was increased by the bound copper by more than 10-fold in F-actin but not in G-actin. Neither acto-myosin subfragment-1 (S1) ATPase activity nor the tryptic digestion of G-actin and F-actin at the Lys-61 and Lys-69 sites were affected by the bound copper. These observations suggest that copper binding to Cys-374 does not induce extensive changes in actin structure and that the perturbation of loop 38-52 environment results from changes in the intermolecular contacts in F-actin.