DHRS4L2非编码RNA调控CPNE6基因表达

DHRS4/NRDR基因编码一种属于SDR家族的酶,在维甲酸合成、类固醇代谢和苯甲基代谢中发挥生物合成催化作用.DHRS4基因定位于14q11-2,有两个相似的拷贝基因,分别为DHRS4L2和DHRS4L1.我们前期发现了DHRS4L2基因一个上游转录起始位点,命名为DHRS4L2-Ea.在本研究中,我们用RT-PCR和双脱氧测序法发现一个新的从DHRS4L2-Ea转录的选择性剪接亚型DHRS4L2-900a(KC237374).同时RT-PCR结果显示在SK-N-SH细胞DHRS4L2-Ea选择性剪接亚型中DHRS4L2 iso(AY616183)表达最多,为主要亚型.在SK-N-SH细胞过表达DHRS4L2-800a(AY920361)使DHRS4L2-Ea 基因下游CPNE6 mRNA表达下调.在HeLa细胞过表达DHRS4L2 800a(AY920361)或DHRS4L2-900a(KC237374) 进一步表明DHRS4L2 Ea抑制CPNE6表达的作用.定量PCR结果显示si-RNA抑制DHRS4L2-Ea表达使CPNE6 mRNA表达上调.亚硫酸盐测序结果显示在SK-N-SH转染DHRS4L2-800a(AY920361)的样本中CPNE6基因DNA CpG甲基化增加.综上所述,本研究揭示DHRS4L2表达的非编码RNA抑制其下游基因CPNE6的表达.     

Inner mitochondrial membrane anion channel is present in brown adipocytes but is not identical with the uncoupling protein

Summary Vesicles of inner mitochondrial membrane, mitoplasts, from rat brown adipose tissue were prepared by osmotic swelling and studied using the patch-clamp technique. Current events of a 107.8±8.7 pS (n=16, 21°C) channel were recorded in the mitoplast-attached mode. This channel was selective for anions and its kinetics resembled those of channels previously found in liver and heart mitochondria of mouse and ox. In whole-mitoplast mode each of five purine nucleotides (20 m) blocked the channel. This is the first demonstration of pharmacological blockade of this type of channel. Although a similar anion channel in mouse and ox mitochondria was suggested to be the uncoupling protein (UCP) associated with nonshivering thermogenesis, we present several arguments against this possibility. Thus we describe a high-conductance, purine-nucleotide-binding, anion selective mitochondrial channel, that is not the UCP.     

Volume regulation in human fibroblasts: role of Ca2+ and 5-lipoxygenase products in the activation of the Cl− efflux

Trypsinized human skin fibroblasts in suspension perform regulatory volume decrease (RVD) after cell swelling in hypotonic medium. During RVD, ³⁶Cl^– efflux is dramatically increased and the cell membrane is depolarized, indicating the activation of Cl^– channels. This activation of Cl^– channels depends on extracellular as well as on intracellular Ca²⁺. The swelling-induced Cl^– efflux and the RVD response are inhibited by the 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor ETH 615-139. Finally, following hypotonic treatment, cellular pH decreases. The pH decrease does not involve the Cl^–/HCO ₃ ^– exchange because it is independent of the external Cl^– concentration.T. Mastrocola was recipient of a scientific fellowship from the Italian Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (C.N.R.). This work was supported by Progetto Finalizzato Ingegneria Genetica, C.N.R., Roma, and by the Danish Natural Research Council.     

Overexpression of cyclin E/CDK2 complexes overcomes FGF-induced cell cycle arrest in the presence of hypophosphorylated Rb proteins

FGF signaling inhibits chondrocyte proliferation and requires the function of the p107 and p130 members of the Rb protein family to execute growth arrest. p107 dephosphorylation plays a critical role in the chondrocyte response to FGF, as overexpression of cyclin D1/CDK4 complexes (the major p107 kinase) in rat chondrosarcoma (RCS) cells overcomes FGF-induced p107 dephosphorylation and growth arrest. In cells overexpressing cyclin D1/CDK4, FGF-induced downregulation of cyclin E/CDK2 activity was absent. To examine the role of cyclin E/CDK2 complexes in mediating FGF-induced growth arrest, this kinase was overexpressed in RCS cells. FGF-induced dephosphorylation of either p107 or p130 was not prevented by overexpressing cyclin E/CDK2 complexes. Unexpectedly, however, FGF-treated cells exhibited sustained proliferation even in the presence of hypophosphorylated p107 and p130. Both pocket proteins were able to form repressive complexes with E2F4 and E2F5 but these repressors were not translocated into the nucleus and therefore were unable to occupy their respective target DNA sites. Overexpressed cyclin E/CDK2 molecules were stably associated with p107 and p130 in FGF-treated cells in the context of E2F repressive complexes. Taken together, our data suggest a novel mechanism by which cyclin E/CDK2 complexes can promote cell cycle progression in the presence of dephosphorylated Rb proteins and provide a novel insight into the key Retinoblastoma/E2F/cyclin E pathway. Our data also highlight the importance of E2F4/p130 complexes for FGF-mediated growth arrest in chondrocytes.     

Cell death and the developing enteric nervous system

This review discusses current knowledge about cell death in the developing enteric nervous system (ENS). It also includes findings about the molecular mechanisms by which such death is mediated. Additional consideration is given to trophic factors that contribute to survival of the precursors and neurons and glia of the ENS, as well to genes that, when mutated or deleted, trigger their death. Although further confirmation is needed, present observations support the view that enteric neural crest-derived precursor cells en route to the gut undergo substantial levels of apoptotic death, but that once these cells colonize the gut, there is relatively little death of precursor cells or of neurons and glia during the fetal period. There are also indications that normal neuron loss occurs in the ENS, but at times beyond the perinatal stage. Taken together, these findings suggest that ENS development is similar is some ways, but different in others from extra-enteric areas of the vertebrate central and peripheral nervous systems, in which large-scale apoptotic death of precursor neurons and glia occurs during the fetal and perinatal periods. Potential reasons for these differences are discussed such as a fetal enteric microenvironment that is especially rich in trophic support. In addition to the cell death that occurs during normal ENS development, this review discusses mechanisms of experimentally-induced ENS cell death, such as those that are associated with defective glial cell-line derived neurotrophic factor/Ret signaling, which are an animal model of human congenital megacolon (aganglionosis; Hirschsprung’s disease). Such considerations underscore the importance of understanding cell death in the developing ENS, not just from a curiosity-driven point of view, but also because the pathophysiology behind many disorders of human gastrointestinal function may originate in abnormalities of the mechanisms that govern cell survival and death during ENS development.     

乳酸杆菌脂磷壁酸抑制脂多糖诱导的大鼠肝脏Kupffer 细胞TLR4 通路 的激活

目的：探讨保加利亚乳酸杆菌脂磷壁酸（Lipoteichoic Acid of ,LBG-LTA）对大鼠肝脏Kupffer细胞 Toll样受体4（Toll-like receptor 4,TLR4）信号通路的作用。方法：雄性健康Wistar大鼠10 只（2 月龄,体重250～300 g）处死后,分 离培养肝脏Kupffer 细胞;培养LBG,并提取制备LBG-LTA;Kupffer 细胞,在有或无LBG-LTA（0.1、1、10 ug/mL）预处理的情况 下,给予脂多糖（lipopolysaccharide,LPS,1 EU/mL）刺激后,Western blot 检测各孔Kupffer细胞的TLR4、TANK 结合激酶1（TANK binding kinase-1,TBK1）及核中的核因子B（nuclear factor-kB,NF-kB）水平,酶联免疫吸附法检测各孔培养上清中的肿瘤坏死因子 alpha（tumor necrosis factor-alpha,TNF-alpha）和白介素1beta（interleukin-1beta,IL-1beta）。结果：分离的Kupffer 细胞经不同浓度LBG-LTA 预处理 后,其在LPS刺激下所表达的TLR4、TBK1、核中NF- kB的水平及生成的TNF-alpha和IL-1茁明显低于无LBG-LTA预处理情况下的 LPS 孔（P<0.05）,且LBG-LTA 的作用呈浓度依赖性。结论：LBG-LTA以浓度依赖的方式抑制了LPS 诱导下大鼠Kupffer细胞 TLR4 通路的激活。     

A retrospective evaluation of the role of T cells in the development of malaria vaccine

Due to the fact that the life cycle of malaria parasites is complex, undergoing both an extracellular and intracellular phases in its host, the human immune system has to mobilize both the humoral and cellular arms of immune responses to fight against this parasitic infection. Whereas humoral immunity is directed toward the extracellular stages which include sporozoites and merozoites, cell-mediated immunity (CMI), in which T cells play a major role, targets hepatic stages - liver stages - of the parasites. In this review, the role of T cells in protective immunity against liver stages of the malaria infection is being re-evaluated. Furthermore, this review intends to address how to translate the findings regarding the role of T cells obtained in experimental systems to actual development of malaria vaccine for humans.     

蚯蚓和三叉苦对亚热带人工林土壤N2O和CH4通量的短期效应

在广东鹤山大叶相思(Acacia auriculaeformis)人工林内设置外来蚯蚓西土寒宪蚓(Ocnerodrilus occidentalis)和乡土植物三叉苦(Evodia lepta)野外控制实验,用静态箱-气相色谱法对土壤N2O和CH4通量进行15 d的原位测定,研究蚯蚓和三叉苦对土壤N2O和CH4通量的影响。结果表明,三叉苦并未明显增加土壤N2O和CH4的通量,而假植物(模拟三叉苦的物理效应)则显著促进了土壤N2O的释放通量。整个实验阶段,蚯蚓效应分别使无植物对照和三叉苦处理土壤N2O通量增加了26.7%和66.3%,而在种假植物条件下,添加蚯蚓使土壤N2O通量降低了39.7%;同时,蚯蚓效应使对照处理土壤CH4吸收通量增加了10.3%,使假植物处理土壤CH4吸收通量降低了90.6%,而使三叉苦处理土壤CH4释放通量增加了301.8%。可见,蚯蚓能够促进人工林土壤N2O释放;同时促进人工林土壤从CH4“汇”向“源”转变。三叉苦的物理过程促进土壤N2O的释放,而三叉苦的生物过程抑制土壤N2O的排放。如何减缓人工林中土壤N2O和CH4的排放,必须综合考虑植物物理过程、生物过程以及蚯蚓对土壤N2O和CH4排放过程影响的独立效应和交互效应。     

Leukotriene D4 induces amyloid-β generation via CysLT1R-mediated NF-κB pathways in primary neurons

Although the pathogenesis of sporadic Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is not clearly understood, neuroinflammation has been known to play a role in the pathogenesis of AD. To investigate a functional link between the neuroinflammation and AD, the effect of leukotriene D4 (LTD4), an inflammatory lipid mediator, was studied on amyloid-β generation in vitro. Application of LTD4 to cell monolayers at concentrations up to 40 nM LTD4 caused increases in the Aβ releases. Concentrations ?40 nM LTD4 decreased neuronal viability. Application of 20 nM LTD4 caused a significant increase in Aβ generation, as assessed by ELISA or Western blotting, without significant cytotoxicity. At this concentration, exposure of neurons to LTD4 for 24 h produced maximal effect in the Aβ generation, and significant increases in the expressions of cysteinyl leukotriene 1 receptor (CysLT₁R) and activity of β- or γ-secretase with complete abrogation by the selective CysLT₁R antagonist pranlukast. Exposure of neurons to LTD4 for 1 h showed activation of NF-κB pathway, by assessing the levels of p65 or phospho-p65 in the nucleus, and either CysLT₁R antagonist pranlukast or NF-κB inhibitor PDTC prevented the nuclear translocation of p65 and the consequent phosphorylation. PDTC also inhibited LTD4-induced elevations of β- or γ-secretase activity and Aβ generation in vitro. Overall, our data show for the first time that LTD4 causes Aβ production by enhancement of β- or γ-secretase resulting from activation of CysLT₁R-mediated NF-κB signaling pathway. These findings provide a novel pathologic link between neuroinflammation and AD.