抑制肿瘤生长活性的内皮生长抑制剂EDI-8t

对内源性的内皮生长抑制剂的序列来源分析后,用RT-PCR方法从人脐带中获得了417bp的cDNA,并克隆到毕赤酵母表达载体pPIC9,然后转化毕赤酵母GS115获得重组表达菌株。表达菌株通过甲醇诱导表达后,将发酵液通过分离纯化获得重组蛋白纯品,命名为EDI-8t。体外实验结果表明,这个胶原蛋白VIII来源的rhEDI-8t蛋白能特异性地抑制牛主动脉内皮细胞的增殖和迁移,并能引起内皮细胞的凋亡。动物体内实验结果表明,rhEDI-8t蛋白样品可有效抑制裸鼠皮下肝癌肿瘤的生长,抑制效果和参照品endostatin相同。但在小鼠黑色素瘤肺转移模型中,rhEDI-8t显示了高于参照品的抑癌效果。     

SUMO化修饰与早幼粒白血病蛋白核体形成

早幼粒白血病蛋白核体(promyelocytic leukaemia nuclear bodies,PMLNBs)是哺乳动物细胞中普遍存在的一种亚核结构,广泛参与如转录调节、基因组稳定性维持、抗病毒、细胞凋亡、肿瘤抑制等一系列的生物学事件.SUMO(smallubiquitinmodifier)修饰是蛋白质翻译后修饰领域中的研究热点,SUMO修饰对PML核体的形成与降解都发挥着重要作用.近年来研究发现,人的E3泛素连接酶RNF4(RING finger protein4),可促进依赖SUMO-2/3修饰的PML核体的泛素化连接,并且ATO(三氧化二砷)可加速其对PML核体的降解.荧光共振能量转移(fluorescence resonance energy transfer,FRET)技术可完全应用于活细胞内PML核体和SUMO蛋白之间在时间和空间上的精确互作.因此,更深入地研究PML核体形成和降解的机理以及在这个过程中重要蛋白质之间的相互作用具有重要而深远的意义.     

Human Cytomegalovirus Protein pUL117 Targets the Mini-Chromosome Maintenance Complex and Suppresses Cellular DNA Synthesis

Modulation of host DNA synthesis is essential for many viruses to establish productive infections and contributes to viral diseases. Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), a large DNA virus, blocks host DNA synthesis and deregulates cell cycle progression. We report that pUL117, a viral protein that we recently identified, is required for HCMV to block host DNA synthesis. Mutant viruses in which pUL117 was disrupted, either by frame-shift mutation or by a protein destabilization-based approach, failed to block host DNA synthesis at times after 24 hours post infection in human foreskin fibroblasts. Furthermore, pUL117-deficient virus stimulated quiescent fibroblasts to enter S-phase, demonstrating the intrinsic ability of HCMV to promote host DNA synthesis, which was suppressed by pUL117. We examined key proteins known to be involved in inhibition of host DNA synthesis in HCMV infection, and found that many were unlikely involved in the inhibitory activity of pUL117, including geminin, cyclin A, and viral protein IE2, based on their expression patterns. However, the ability of HCMV to delay the accumulation of the mini-chromosome maintenance (MCM) complex proteins, represented by MCM2 and MCM4, and prevent their loading onto chromatin, was compromised in the absence of pUL117. When expressed alone, pUL117 slowed cell proliferation, delayed DNA synthesis, and inhibited MCM accumulation. Knockdown of MCM proteins by siRNA restored the ability of pUL117-deficient virus to block cellular DNA synthesis. Thus, targeting MCM complex is one mechanism pUL117 employs to help block cellular DNA synthesis during HCMV infection. Our finding substantiates an emerging picture that deregulation of MCM is a conserved strategy for many viruses to prevent host DNA synthesis and helps to elucidate the complex strategy used by a large DNA virus to modulate cellular processes to promote infection and pathogenesis.     

A marine bacterium accumulates polyhydroxyalkanoate consisting of mainly 3-hydroxydodecanoate and 3-hydroxydecanoate

A deep-sea psychrotrophic bacterium Pseudoaltermonas sp. SM9913, isolated from abyssalbenthic sediments in Bohai Sea, was found to be able to synthesize polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) polymer consisting of mainly 3-hydroxydecanoate and 3-hydroxydodecanoate. PHA accumulation in Pseudoaltermonas sp. SM9913 was confirmed by transmission electron microscope, Nile red dye and gas chromatography/mass spectral. The PHA content was determined as high as 2–3% of cell dry weight when the strain was grown in a sea water-based liquid medium. The relationship between PHA and exopolysaccharide accumulation in this strain was discussed.     

DADS 上调K562 细胞p21WAF1 表达对细胞生长阻抑和凋亡 的实验研究

目的:探讨二烯丙基二硫(DADS)对体外培养的人白血病细胞系K562细胞生长阻抑和凋亡作用及机制。方法:采用MTT分析法检测细胞活性、流式细胞术分析细胞周期及凋亡率、免疫组化检测p21WAF1基因表达。结果:1).DADS在10mg/L～80 mg/L范围内,对K562细胞的抑制作用呈剂量-时间依赖效应;2).不同浓度DADS作用于K562细胞24h后,细胞周期发生了变化:DADS可以将K562细胞阻滞于G2/M期;3).DADS浓度在10mg/L～80mg/L时作用K562细胞24h后,凋亡率逐渐升高,有显著的统计学意义(P<0.05或P<0.01);4).用浓度分别为0mg/L,20mg/L,40mg/L,80mg/L处理K562细胞24h后,p21WAF1蛋白表达上调,有统计学意义(P<0.05或P<0.01),溶媒组和阴性对照组无差别(P>0.05)。结论:DADS有抑制K562细胞增殖和促进K562细胞凋亡的作用。其作用的可能机制与上调细胞周期蛋白依赖性激酶抑制剂p21WAF1表达,从而诱使k562细胞阻滞于G2/M期有关。     

DLGAP1-AS2 promotes human colorectal cancer progression through trans-activation of Myc

Mammalian Genome - Substantial evidence suggests that non-coding RNA plays a vital role in human cancer, especially long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) with a length greater than 200nt. Herein, we found a...     

Thrombospondin-4 critically controls transforming growth factor β1 induced hypertrophic scar formation

Transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) is a growth factor presenting important functions during tissue remodeling and hypertrophic scar (HS) formation. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are largely unknown. In this study, we identified thrombospondin-4 (TSP-4) as a TGF-β1 target that essentially mediates TGF-β1-induced scar formation both in vitro and in vivo. The expression of TSP-4 was compared on both mRNA and protein levels between hypertrophic scar fibroblasts (HSFs) and normal skin fibroblast (NFs) in response to TGF-β1 treatment. Two signaling molecules, Smad3 and p38, were assessed for their importance in regulating TGF-β1-mediated TSP-4 expression. The significance of TSP-4 in controlling TGF-β1-induced proliferation, invasion, migration, and fibrosis in HSFs was analyzed by knocking down endogenous TSP-4 using small hairpin RNA (shRNA) (TSP-4 shRNA). Finally, a skin HS model was established in rats and the scar formation was compared between rats treated with vehicle (saline), TGF-β1, and TGF-β1 + TSP-4 shRNA. The TSP-4 level was significantly higher in HSFs than in NFs and TGF-β1 more potently boosted TSP-4 expression in the former than in the latter. Both Smad3 and p38 essentially mediated TGF-β1-induced TSP-4 expression. TSP-4 shRNA significantly suppressed TGF-β1-stimulated proliferation, invasion, migration, or fibrosis of HSFs in vitro and drastically improved wound healing in vivo. TGF-β1, by activating both Smad3 and p38, induces TSP-4, which in turn not only presents a positive feedback regulation on the activation of Smad3 and p38, but also essentially mediates TGF-β1-induced HS formation. Targeting TSP-4 thus may benefit HS treatment.     

Molecular mimicry in Lyme disease: monoclonal antibody H9724 to b. burgdorferi flagellin specifically detects chaperonin-HSP60

A monoclonal antibody (H9724), specific for the 41-kDa flagellar protein of the Lyme disease pathogen Borrelia burgdorferi, cross-reacts with human axons and detects one major protein in human neuroblastoma cell extracts. The homologous cross-reacting protein has now been isolated from calf adrenal and identified as chaperonin-HSP60 by N-terminal sequencing.