过表达RBP4抑制体外培养的猪前体脂肪细胞分化

为研究视黄醇结合蛋白4(retinol binding protein 4,RBP4)对猪前体脂肪细胞分化的影响,实验构建了RBP4重组腺病毒表达载体,包装并感染猪前体细胞,采用油红O染色和Real-time PCR等方法,检测了过表达RBP4对成脂分化的作用. 研究结果显示,重组腺病毒RBP4载体构建成功,转染猪前体脂肪细胞后,使RBP4的mRNA水平和蛋白水平分别增加了约400倍和20倍. 过表达RBP4能减少脂肪细胞的脂质积累,降低成脂关键基因过氧化物酶体增生物激活受体γ (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma, PPARγ)和脂肪酸结合蛋白2 (adipocyte protein 2, aP2)的表达. 结果表明,RBP4对猪前体脂肪细胞分化有抑制作用,为进一步研究RBP4对猪前体脂肪细胞分化的作用机制奠定基础.     

沉默脂肪细胞增强子结合蛋白2通过PI3K/Akt途径抑制肝癌细胞增殖和迁移

脂肪细胞增强子结合蛋白2(AEBP2)作为多梳抑制复合物2(PRC2)的组成蛋白质,参与多种肿瘤细胞的增殖和迁移,然而其在肝癌中的作用尚不清楚。本研究基于UALCAN和Kaplan-Meier Plotter数据库分析发现,AEBP2在肝癌组织中高表达,并且与患者的不良预后呈正相关。实时荧光定量PCR和蛋白质印迹结果证实,AEBP2在肝癌细胞中的表达高于正常肝细胞。在HepG2和Huh-7细胞中转染AEBP2 siRNA,平板克隆、CCK-8、流式细胞术、划痕愈合和Transwell结果显示,沉默AEBP2可以抑制肝癌细胞增殖、迁移和侵袭,并促进细胞凋亡(P＜0.05)。免疫荧光检测和蛋白质印迹结果显示,沉默AEBP2能够抑制肝癌细胞上皮-间质转化(EMT)(P＜0.05)。生物信息学分析结果表明,AEBP2参与调控PI3K/Akt信号通路。蛋白质印迹结果证实,沉默AEBP2能下调PI3K、p-AKT (S473)、mTOR、MMP-2和MMP-9的蛋白质表达水平(P＜0.05)。此外,沉默AEBP2对HepG2细胞迁移和侵袭的影响可被PI3K/Akt通路激动剂胰岛素样生长因子1(IGF-1)部分逆转(P＜0.01)。综上所述,AEBP2可能通过调节PI3K/Akt途径促进肝癌细胞增殖和迁移。本研究为AEBP2在肝癌中的作用提供理论依据。     

慢病毒载体介导的RNA干扰Akt2表达抑制猪前体脂肪细胞分化

丝氨酸/苏氨酸蛋白激酶2(serine/threonine protein kinase2,Akt 2)是胰岛素信 号通路的关键基因, 与细胞生存和癌症的发生密切相关. 但Akt2在前体脂肪细胞分化中 的作用仍然不是十分清楚. 本研究构建了慢病毒干扰载体pLentiH1-Akt2-shRNA 1, 2, 3及scrambled, 经酶切和测序鉴定均正确; 这4种干扰载体分别转染HEK293T细胞后, 均 获得有感染性的病毒颗粒并感染猪前体脂肪细胞. 转染HEK293T细胞48 h 后real-time PCR分析和转染72 h 后Western 印迹分析表明, Akt2-shRNA2 和shRNA3 介导的Akt2 mRNA和蛋白表达被显著下调 (P <0.05), 其中pLentiH1-Akt2-shRNA3 介导的对Akt2 mRNA和蛋白的干扰效率均达到70%以上 (P <0.01). 进一步研究发现, 猪前体脂肪细胞 中Akt2被有效干扰后, 细胞中脂滴明显减少并变小, 且成脂标志基因PPARγ和aP2蛋白 水平被显著下调. 本研究结果表明, Akt2 knockdown可显著抑制猪前体脂肪细胞分化.     

Wnt信号通路与前体脂肪细胞

Wnt蛋白是一类分泌型蛋白生长因子,通过自分泌和旁分泌作用调节多种细胞的发生和发育.新近研究表明,Wnt信号通路在前体脂肪细胞的增殖分化中发挥着重要作用.Wnt蛋白的配基通过与细胞膜上的特异性受体Frizzled1/2/5及辅助受体LRP5/6结合,激活经典或非经典的Wnt信号通路,影响下游靶基因产物的磷酸化作用,进而抑制C/EBPα、PPARγ等脂肪细胞关键转录因子,使细胞保持未分化状态,从而抑制脂肪的形成.本文就Wnt信号通路的研究史和主要分支、作用方式及其抑制脂肪细胞的机制方面进行了综述,并对今后的研究方向和应用作了展望.     

PI3K/Akt信号通路与肺纤维化

肺纤维化(pulmonary fibrosis)是进行性、致命性的疾病。其致病机制不明,治疗效果差。PI3K/Akt信号通路主要与细胞的生长、增殖、分化、凋亡及血管形成等有关。近年来,随着对PI3K/Akt信号通路的深入研究,发现其活化后可激活下游中的一些因子参与肺纤维化,且与其他通路协同作用促进肺纤维化的形成。因此该通路有可能成为治疗肺纤维化的新靶点。将PI3K/Akt信号通路参与肺纤维化形成的研究进展作一综述。     

视黄醇结合蛋白4在病理妊娠中的研究进展

视黄醇结合蛋白4(Retinol binding protein 4,RBP4)是近年来新发现的一种脂肪细胞因子,在动物与人类的研究中均发现其与胰岛素抵抗的发生及糖、脂代谢的调节密切相关,随着机体胰岛素抵抗及糖脂代谢异常程度的增加,RBP4水平上升。在妊娠期,母体脂肪量增加并伴有不同程度的胰岛素抵抗。在正常妊娠时,RBP4随着妊娠的进展而升高,且与胰岛素抵抗程度增加相一致。与正常妊娠相比,妊娠期糖尿病(gestational diabetes mellitus,GDM)患者的RBP4升高更明显,且RBP4的升高水平与GDM预后相关。研究发现早期RBP4的升高可以预测GDM的发生,此外控制RBP4水平可能干预GDM发展。RBP4在妊娠期高血压疾病中升高;RBP4在脐血中的水平与胎儿生长密切相关,在小于胎龄儿中水平下降,在大于胎龄儿中升高;RBP4与早产的关系并不明确。进一步研究RBP4在病理妊娠的作用机制,可为病理妊娠的发生发展和防治提供新方向。     

血清视黄醇结合蛋白4与慢性乙肝的相关性分析

目的:观察慢性乙肝患者血清视黄醇结合蛋白4(RBP4)、前白蛋白(PA)、血氨水平,分析RBP4与慢性乙肝的相关性。方法:采集90例慢性乙肝患者分为轻度组26例,中度组34例,重度组30例,另选择30例健康对照组。采用酶联免疫吸附法(ELISA)测定血清RBP4水平,采用免疫透射比浊法测定血清PA水平,用全自动生化分析仪测定血氨水平。结果:血清RBP4、PA在病例组中低于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05),血氨水平在病例组中高于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。血清RBP4、PA、血氨水平在轻度、中度、重度组内比较P<0.05,有统计学意义。经Pearson’s相关分析,血清RBP4与PA浓度呈显著正相关相关(r=0.896,P<0.01),与血氨浓度呈显著负相关(r=-0.781,P<0.01)。结论:RBP4与慢性乙肝存在一定的相关性,与肝脏的损伤程度有关,可作为预测肝脏损伤的血清标志物。     

血清视黄醇结合蛋白4与慢性乙肝的相关性分析

目的：观察慢性乙肝患者血清视黄醇结合蛋白4（RBP4）、前白蛋白（PA）、血氨水平,分析RBP4与慢性乙肝的相关性。方法：采集90例慢性乙肝患者分为轻度组26例,中度组34例,重度组30例,另选择30例健康对照组。采用酶联免疫吸附法（ELISA）测定血清RBP4水平,采用免疫透射比浊法测定血清PA水平,用全自动生化分析仪测定血氨水平。结果：血清RBP4、PA在病例组中低于对照组,差异有统计学意义（P〈0.05）,血氨水平在病例组中高于对照组,差异有统计学意义（P〈0.05）。血清RBP4、PA、血氨水平在轻度、中度、重度组内比较P〈0.05,有统计学意义。经Pearson＇s相关分析,血清RBP4与PA浓度呈显著正相关相关（r=0.896,P〈0.01）,与血氨浓度呈显著负相关（r=-0.781,P〈0.01）。结论：RBP4与慢性乙肝存在一定的相关性,与肝脏的损伤程度有关,可作为预测肝脏损伤的血清标志物。     

血清视黄醇结合蛋白4与心血管疾病的研究进展

脂肪组织可分泌大量脂肪细胞因子如脂联素、抵抗素、网膜素、视黄醇结合蛋白4等,这些脂肪细胞因子在心血管疾病发生中的重要作用成为目前的研究热点.在动物与人类的研究中均发现,视黄醇结合蛋白4与胰岛素抵抗、动脉硬化、脂类代谢、高血压等密切相关.本文就相关的进展进行综述.     

Ontogenic expression pattern and genetic polymorphisms of the retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4) gene in Erlang mountainous chickens

Retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4) is the only circulatory transport protein for vitamin A. Based on the essential role of vitamin A in chicken reproduction, we measured RBP4 mRNA abundance in Erlang mountainous chickens. We also identified and analyzed the gene polymorphism and its effect on reproduction traits among 349 chickens. The expression of RBP4 mRNA showed specific developmental changes and striking differences among tissues. The mRNA abundance was greatest (P < 0.05) in the liver, intermediate in the ovary, kidney, small intestine, oviduct and heart, and lowest in the hypothalamus and pituitary, as compared to all other tissues (P < 0.05). We detected one single nucleotide polymorphism (g.19942455C>G) in intron 2 of the RBP4 gene. Three genotypes (CC, CG and GG) were identified, with a significant effect of genotype on the age at first egg (AFE), first egg weight (FEW), total eggs at 300 days (TE300), highest continuous laying days (HCLD) and average laying interval (ALI). The GG genotype, where chickens display earlier AFE, more TE300, longer HCLD and shorter ALI, would be genetically advantageous and its selection may improve reproduction traits. These results suggested that the RBP4 gene might play an important role in reproduction traits in chickens.     

Effects of retinol binding protein-4 on vascular endothelial cells

The study was designed to investigate the effect of retinol binding protein (RBP)-4 on the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways, which mediate the effects of insulin in vascular endothelial cells. The effects of RBP4 on nitric oxide (NO) and insulin-stimulated endothelin-1 (ET-1) secretion and on phosphorylation (p) of Akt, endothelial NO synthetase (eNOS), and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2 were investigated in bovine vascular aortic endothelial cells (BAECs). RBP4 showed an acute vasodilatatory effect on aortic rings of rats within a few minutes. In BAECs, RBP4-treatment for 5 min significantly increased NO production, but inhibited insulin-stimulated ET-1 secretion. RBP4-induced NO production was not inhibited by tetraacetoxymethylester (BAPTA-AM), an intracellular calcium chelator, but was completely abolished by wortmannin, a PI3K inhibitor. RBP4 significantly increased p-Akt and p-eNOS production, and significantly inhibited p-ERK1/2 production. Triciribine, an Akt inhibitor, and wortmannin significantly inhibited RBP4-induced p-Akt and p-eNOS production. Inhibition of Akt1 by small interfering RNA decreased p-eNOS production enhanced by RBP4 in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. In conclusion, RBP4 has a robust acute effect of enhancement of NO production via stimulation of part of the PI3K/Akt/eNOS pathway and inhibition of ERK1/2 phosphorylation and insulin-induced ET-1 secretion, probably in the MAPK pathway, which results in vasodilatation.     

High-resolution structures of retinol-binding protein in complex with retinol: pH-induced protein structural changes in the crystal state

The targeted delivery of non-polar ligands by binding proteins to membranes or membrane receptors involves the release of these ligands on or near the plasma membrane of target cells. Because these hydrophobic ligands are often bound inside a deep cavity of binding proteins, as shown previously for plasma retinol-binding protein (RBP), their release from these proteins might require the destabilization of the protein structure by partially denaturing conditions, such as those possibly present near plasma membranes. RBP is a plasma transport protein which delivers specifically retinol from its store sites to target cells. Here, we report the high-resolution (1.1-1.4A) crystal structures of bovine holo-RBP at five different pH values, ranging from 9 to 2. While unraveling details of the native protein structure and of the interactions with retinol at nearly atomic resolution at neutral pH, this study provides evidence for definite pH-induced modifications of several structural features of RBP. The structure most representative of the changes that holo-RBP undergoes at different pH values is that of its flexible state at pH 2. At this pH, most significant are the alteration of the arrangement of salt bridges and of the network of water molecules/H-bonds that participates in the retinol-RBP interaction, an appreciable increase of the volume of the beta-barrel cavity, a considerably higher degree of mobility of the RBP-bound ligand and of several protein regions and the disorder of a large number of solvent molecules that are ordered at neutral pH. These changes are likely to be accompanied by a modification of the pattern of charge distribution on the protein surface. All these changes, which reveal a substantially lowered conformational stability of RBP, presumably occur at the initial stages of the acidic denaturation of RBP and are possibly associated with a facilitated release of the retinol molecule from its carrier protein.     

PI3K/Akt信号通路的调控与肿瘤血管生成

肿瘤对人类的生存危害极大,恶性肿瘤的治疗一直是世界性的难题。肿瘤血管生成是肿瘤赖以生长、转移的基础,受多种因子的调节。目前发现有多条信号网络参与调控肿瘤血管生成,PI3K/Akt是其中比较重要的一条信号传导途径,该通路与肿瘤的发生发展密切相关。本文介绍了PI3K/Akt信号通路的结构组成与活性调控,并重点阐述PI3K/Akt信号途径与肿瘤血管生成的关系。     

Calcium and integrin binding protein 1 (CIB1) induces myocardial fibrosis in myocardial infarction via regulating the PI3K/Akt pathway

Myocardial infarction (MI) is a severe coronary artery disease resulted from substantial and sustained ischemia. Abnormal upregulation of calcium and integrin binding protein 1 (CIB1) has been found in several cardiovascular diseases. In this study, we established a mouse model of MI by permanent ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery. CIB1 was upregulated in the heart of MI mice. Notably, CIB1 knockdown by intramuscular injection of lentivirus-mediated short hairpin RNA (shRNA) targeting Cib1 improved cardiac function and attenuated myocardial hypertrophy and infarct area in MI mice. MI-induced upregulation of α-SMA, vimentin, Collagen I, and Collagen III, which resulted in collagen production and myocardial fibrosis, were regressed by CIB1 silencing. In vitro, cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) isolated from mice were subjected to angiotensin II (Ang II) treatment. Inhibition of CIB1 downregulated the expression of α-SMA, vimentin, Collagen I, and Collagen III in Ang II-treated CFs. Moreover, CIB1 knockdown inhibited Ang II-induced phosphorylation of PI3K-p85 and Akt in CFs. The effect of CIB1 knockdown on Ang II-induced cellular injury was comparable to that of LY294002, a specific inhibitor of the PI3K/Akt pathway. We demonstrated that MI-induced cardiac hypertrophy, myocardial fibrosis, and cardiac dysfunction might be attributed to the upregulation of CIB1 in MI mice. Downregulation of CIB1 alleviated myocardial fibrosis and cardiac dysfunction by decreasing the expression of α-SMA, vimentin, Collagen I, and Collagen III via inhibiting the PI3K/Akt pathway. Therefore, CIB1 may be a potential target for MI treatment.