Numb与神经发育

不对称性细胞分裂是一个母细胞通过一次分裂,产生两个不同命运的子细胞的分裂方式,是单细胞生物向多细胞生物进化的关键一步。根据现有的证据推论,不称性细胞分裂是在器官发育过程中产生细胞多样化的一种基本方式。Numb是第一个被发现决定多细胞生物不对称细胞分裂的信号蛋白。在果蝇中,Numb通过促进Notch泛素化拮抗Notch信号通路,从而决定子细胞的命运,后来的研究表明Numb是细胞内吞调节蛋白,并用通过内吞参与调节神经细胞的粘附,轴突的生长及细胞迁移等过程;并且发现Numb与肿瘤抑制基因p53、泛素化蛋白HDM2形成三聚体抑制p53的泛素化,从而调节肿瘤的恶性程度。本文系统地分析了Numb发现的历史及后来在脊椎动物中的作用和机制,重点介绍了Numb在神经发育过程中的功能。     

MicroRNA与胚胎神经发育

胚胎神经发育过程中,众多基因时空性表达及其表达产物相互作用形成精确的调控,其中某些基因表达质或量的改变会引起胚胎发育异常,导致先天畸形的发生.这一精确的基因表达调控过程是在转录及转录后等不同水平进行的.MicroRNAs(miRNAs),是这个基因调控大家族中新的成员.目前研究表明miRNAs在神经干细胞的不同发育阶段和哺乳动物脑发育过程中有不同的表达模式,这表明miRNAs可能在胚胎神经发育过程中起作用.本文就miRNAs在胚胎神经发育过程中的表达及功能作一综述.     

Notch信号途径与心血管发育

Notch信号传导途径在无脊椎动物和脊椎动物中广泛存在且高度保守,此途径介导局部细胞之间的相互作用.它出现在多种细胞命运决定之中,调控它们的时空表达,在整个胚胎发育中起重要作用.主要综述了Notch信号途径在心血管发育过程之中的重要作用及其作用机制.     

神经发育中的细胞周期时程

哺乳动物的神经发育经历一系列神经前体细胞的形态结构和机能改变,其细胞周期时程也呈现动态变化,从神经发生早期至后期,神经前体细胞的细胞周期时程逐渐延长,并与细胞发育命运转归有关,其调节因素包括周期蛋白复合体、Notch信号通路、原神经基因靶向蛋白、微管与分子马达蛋白等。细胞周期长度假说认为,细胞周期的长度影响到命运决定子的积累,因而决定细胞的命运。文章综述了相关的研究进展。     

Numb基因在乳腺癌细胞分化中的作用

Numb基因是细胞的命运决定因子,生物学作用广泛.Notch1及BIRC5是其下游的两个主要通路,Notch在乳腺癌的不同发育阶段均呈激活状态,其量决定了细胞的分裂方向;而BIRC5则经由影响细胞的凋亡而影响乳腺癌的临床病理特征.二者与Numb相互作用,共同在乳腺癌的发生、分化、发展的各阶段发挥重要作用,从而影响乳腺癌干细胞分化为不同的乳腺癌临床亚型.明确Numb在乳腺癌干细胞分化中的作用,对探索更为有效的针对不同乳腺癌亚型的治疗方法至关重要.     

神经营养因子与神经干细胞

生长因子在神经干细胞的增殖,分化和存活过程中有重要作用。神经营养因子是其中的一类,它包括神经生长因子（NGF）家族,胶质源性神经营养因子（GDNF）家族和其它神经营养因子。NGF家族包括NGF,BDNF,NT－3,NT－4／5和NT－6。这一家族可促进epidermic growth facter(EGF)反应 海马及前脑室管膜下区神经干细胞的存活和分化。GDNF家族包括GDNF,NTN,PSP和ART。GDNF家族促神经发育的作用主要在外周,它促进肠神经嵴前体细胞的存活和增殖,且对外周感觉神经的发育至关重要。其它生长因子如bFGF和EGF,它们能促进神经干细胞增殖和存活;CNTF和LIF等在神经干细胞的分化中也有重要作用。     

命运决定子Numb在神经干/祖细胞不对称分裂及分化中的调控作用 

不对称分裂是干/祖细胞发育分化中的基本过程,膜相关蛋白Numb在其中发挥重要作用.Numb极性分布于细胞一侧,在干/祖细胞有丝分裂时不对等分配至两个子代细胞,使子代细胞产生不同分化命运.如一个保持在干/祖细胞状态,而另一个发育为神经元,这一过程主要通过抑制Notch信号通路发挥作用.近年在哺乳动物中的研究中发现,高强度Notch信号又能够反馈抑制Numb活性.Numb具有维持神经干/祖细胞增殖与促进分化的双重作用,Numb的命运决定作用还与Shh信号通路和p53蛋白等相关.另外,Numb参与调控细胞的粘连、迁移以及神经元轴突的分支与延长.本文主要对Numb在果蝇及哺乳动物神经干/祖细胞中的定位以及其在决定细胞命运和分化中的调控作用进行综述.     

社会行为发育的行为神经内分泌效应

发育过程中行为神经内分泌环境能够调节解剖和生理的长期变化,产生深远的行为效应,所以神经内分泌环境在幼体发育及其行为生理特征的形成中起重要作用。本文综述了神经垂体激素、类固醇激素及它们的受体在社会行为发育中的行为神经内分泌效应;指出该领域有待解决的问题和进一步研究的方向;希望能使人们重视人类发育过程中双亲行为和激素作用对儿童社会行为及其相关神经内分泌特征的影响。     

Notch 信号通路与淋巴细胞发育

Notch 信号通路为一广泛应用且高度保守的信号转导途径,决定多能祖细胞的分化方向,其中在共同淋巴祖细胞向 T 淋巴细胞或 B 淋巴细胞分化选择中具有决定性作用 . Notch 信号通路参与淋巴细胞的发育过程,促进 Tαβ细胞的形成、诱导处女型 T 细胞变为调节型 T 细胞、阻止 CD4+T 细胞向 Th1 类型分化,以及增加外周免疫器官边缘区 B 细胞的数量 . 在分析 Notch 蛋白结构的基础上,综合最新进展,系统阐明了 Notch 信号通路的组成、作用机制、参与的淋巴细胞发育过程以及所起的作用 .     

神经发育中的一些新发现的轴突导向因子

神经发育过程中,存在一些引导轴突向特定靶区生长的导向因子。这些因子以浓度梯度型式作用,或者与细胞膜相连起信号转导作用。主要介绍近来发现几类新的轴突导向因子家族：ｎｅｔｒｉｎ家族、ｓｅｍａｐｈｏｒｉｎ家族、ｃｏｎｎｅｃｔｉｈ家族、Ｅｐｈ受体家族及其配体家族,以及其它的轴突导向因子。     

The multiple functions of Numb

Numb is an evolutionary conserved protein that plays critical roles in cell fate determination. Mammalian Numb displays a higher degree of structural complexity compared to the Drosophila homolog based on the number of encoding genes (Numb and Numb-like) and of alternative spliced isoforms. Accordingly, Numb proteins display a complex pattern of functions such as the control of asymmetric cell division and cell fate choice, endocytosis, cell adhesion, cell migration, ubiquitination of specific substrates and a number of signaling pathways (i.e. Notch, Hedgehog, p53). Recent findings indicate that, besides controlling such physiologic developmental processes, subversion of the above Numb-dependent events plays a critical role in disease (e.g. cancer). We will review here the multiple functions of mNumb and their underlying molecular mechanisms in development and disease.     

Multifunctional protein 4.1R regulates the asymmetric segregation of Numb during terminal erythroid maturation

The asymmetric cell division of stem or progenitor cells generates daughter cells with distinct fates that balance proliferation and differentiation. Asymmetric segregation of Notch signaling regulatory protein Numb plays a crucial role in cell diversification. However, the molecular mechanism remains unclear. Here, we examined the unequal distribution of Numb in the daughter cells of murine erythroleukemia cells (MELCs) that undergo DMSO-induced erythroid differentiation. In contrast to the cytoplasmic localization of Numb during uninduced cell division, Numb is concentrated at the cell boundary in interphase, near the one-spindle pole in metaphase, and is unequally distributed to one daughter cell in anaphase in induced cells. The inheritance of Numb guides this daughter cell toward erythroid differentiation while the other cell remains a progenitor cell. Mitotic spindle orientation, critical for distribution of cell fate determinants, requires complex communication between the spindle microtubules and the cell cortex mediated by the NuMA-LGN-dynein/dynactin complex. Depletion of each individual member of the complex randomizes the position of Numb relative to the mitotic spindle. Gene replacement confirms that multifunctional erythrocyte protein 4.1R (4.1R) functions as a member of the NuMA-LGN-dynein/dynactin complex and is necessary for regulating spindle orientation, in which interaction between 4.1R and NuMA plays an important role. These results suggest that mispositioning of Numb is the result of spindle misorientation. Finally, disruption of the 4.1R-NuMA-LGN complex increases Notch signaling and decreases the erythroblast population. Together, our results identify a critical role for 4.1R in regulating the asymmetric segregation of Numb to mediate erythropoiesis.     

Endocytic Regulation of Notch Signalling During Development

Delta/Notch signalling is of major importance for embryonic development and adult life. While endocytosis is often viewed as a way to down-regulate biological signals, ligand and receptor internalization are essential for Notch activation. The development of Drosophila mecanosensory bristles is a powerful model to study Delta/Notch signalling. Following the asymmetric division of bristle precursor cells, Delta ligands and Notch receptors traffic differently in the two daughter cells, leading to directional signal activation. Recent evidence suggests that in addition to differential ligand endocytosis after division, a subpopulation of multivesicular endosomes ensures the directional transport of Delta/Notch already during asymmetric cell division. Biochemical analysis suggests that different phases of endocytic Delta trafficking exert complementary but distinct actions required for ligand recycling, ligand/receptor interaction and ligand-mediated receptor activation, respectively. Finally, novel data suggest that different endosomal compartments may act as Delta/Notch signalling platforms. In this review, we discuss the implications of these novel findings for our cell biological understanding of Delta/Notch signalling.     

Nandrolone reduces activation of Notch signaling in denervated muscle associated with increased Numb expression

Nandrolone, an anabolic steroid, slows denervation-atrophy in rat muscle. The molecular mechanisms responsible for this effect are not well understood. Androgens and anabolic steroids activate Notch signaling in animal models of aging and thereby mitigate sarcopenia. To explore the molecular mechanisms by which nandrolone prevents denervation-atrophy, we investigated the effects of nandrolone on Notch signaling in denervated rat gastrocnemius muscle. Denervation significantly increased Notch activity reflected by elevated levels of nuclear Notch intracellular domain (NICD) and expression of Hey1 (a Notch target gene). Activation was greatest at 7 and 35 days after denervation but remained present at 56 days after denervation. Activation of Notch in denervated muscle was prevented by nandrolone associated with upregulated expression of Numb mRNA and protein. These data demonstrate that denervation activates Notch signaling, and that nandrolone abrogates this response associated with increased expression of Numb, suggesting a potential mechanism by which nandrolone reduces denervation-atrophy.     

Intrinsic regulation of enteroendocrine fate by Numb

How terminal cell fates are specified in dynamically renewing adult tissues is not well understood. Here we explore terminal cell fate establishment during homeostasis using the enteroendocrine cells (EEs) of the adult Drosophila midgut as a paradigm. Our data argue against the existence of local feedback signals, and we identify Numb as an intrinsic regulator of EE fate. Our data further indicate that Numb, with alpha‐adaptin, acts upstream or in parallel of known regulators of EE fate to limit Notch signaling, thereby facilitating EE fate acquisition. We find that Numb is regulated in part through its asymmetric and symmetric distribution during stem cell divisions; however, its de novo synthesis is also required during the differentiation of the EE cell. Thus, this work identifies Numb as a crucial factor for cell fate choice in the adult Drosophila intestine. Furthermore, our findings demonstrate that cell‐intrinsic control mechanisms of terminal cell fate acquisition can result in a balanced tissue‐wide production of terminally differentiated cell types.     

Numb regulates cell–cell adhesion and polarity in response to tyrosine kinase signalling

Epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT), which can be caused by aberrant tyrosine kinase signalling, marks epithelial tumour progression and metastasis, yet the underlying molecular mechanism is not fully understood. Here, we report that Numb interacts with E‐cadherin (E‐cad) through its phosphotyrosine‐binding domain (PTB) and thereby regulates the localization of E‐cad to the lateral domain of epithelial cell–cell junction. Moreover, Numb engages the polarity complex Par3–aPKC–Par6 by binding to Par3 in polarized Madin‐Darby canine kidney cells. Intriguingly, after Src activation or hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) treatment, Numb decouples from E‐cad and Par3 and associates preferably with aPKC–Par6. Binding of Numb to aPKC is necessary for sequestering the latter in the cytosol during HGF‐induced EMT. Knockdown of Numb by small hairpin RNA caused a basolateral‐to‐apicolateral translocation of E‐cad and β‐catenin accompanied by elevated actin polymerization, accumulation of Par3 and aPKC in the nucleus, an enhanced sensitivity to HGF‐induced cell scattering, a decrease in cell–cell adhesion, and an increase in cell migration. Our work identifies Numb as an important regulator of epithelial polarity and cell–cell adhesion and a sensor of HGF signalling or Src activity during EMT.