低氧mtDNA3010A/G基因型变异诱导的lncRNA-mRNA共表达网络变化

目的: 分析mtDNA3010A/G变异在急性缺氧条件下的长链非编码RNA(lncRNA)和信使RNA(mRNA)的共表达网络变化,探讨关键lncRNA和mRNA在低氧诱导的基因表达调控中的作用。方法: 筛选线粒体DNA(mtDNA)3010-5178-10400的基因型组合A-C-C和G-C-C,以骨肉瘤细胞经溴化乙锭处理后形成的无线粒体细胞(ρ⁰206细胞)为供体,构建mtDNA3010A和mtDNA3010G基因型融合细胞。经1%O₂处理24 h后,采用lncRNA-mRNA共表达芯片检测两种融合细胞的差异表达lncRNA和mRNA,荧光定量聚合酶链式法验证差异显著的mRNA,运用生物信息学方法构建lncRNA-mRNA共表达网络,预测差异lncRNA的靶基因,并对差异显著的mRNA和预测靶基因进行基因本体(GO)和京都基因与基因组大百科全书(KEGG)预测分析。结果: 经1%O₂处理24 h后,与mtDNA3010G融合细胞相比,mtDNA3010A融合细胞表达上调的lncRNA有688个,超过2倍的有21个,表达下调的lncRNA有1098个,超过2倍的有4个;表达上调的mRNA有1151个,超过2倍的有14个,表达下调的mRNA有539个,超过2倍的有3个。结论: mtDNA3010A/G基因型变异在缺氧条件下能够影响lncRNA-mRNA调控网络的变化,差异表达的lncRNA和mRNA可能在低氧诱导的基因表达调控网络中发挥重要作用,有望成为从线粒体角度调控低氧反应的靶点。     

蛹虫草组学研究进展

作为虫草属的模式种,蛹虫草是目前虫草类真菌中研究和应用最为广泛的物种之一。随着基因组序列的公布,蛹虫草组学水平的研究近年来取得了明显的进展。本文从基因组、线粒体基因组、甲基化组、转录组、蛋白质组、代谢网络等角度对蛹虫草组学水平的研究现状进行综述,期望对进一步推动蛹虫草的深入研究提供帮助。     

The detrimental effect of iron on OA chondrocytes: Importance of pro-inflammatory cytokines induced iron influx and oxidative stress

Iron overload is common in elderly people which is implicated in the disease progression of osteoarthritis (OA), however, how iron homeostasis is regulated during the onset and progression of OA and how it contributes to the pathological transition of articular chondrocytes remain unknown. In the present study, we developed an in vitro approach to investigate the roles of iron homeostasis and iron overload mediated oxidative stress in chondrocytes under an inflammatory environment. We found that pro-inflammatory cytokines could disrupt chondrocytes iron homeostasis via upregulating iron influx transporter TfR1 and downregulating iron efflux transporter FPN, thus leading to chondrocytes iron overload. Iron overload would promote the expression of chondrocytes catabolic markers, MMP3 and MMP13 expression. In addition, we found that oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction played important roles in iron overload-induced cartilage degeneration, reducing iron concentration using iron chelator or antioxidant drugs could inhibit iron overload-induced OA-related catabolic markers and mitochondrial dysfunction. Our results suggest that pro-inflammatory cytokines could disrupt chondrocytes iron homeostasis and promote iron influx, iron overload-induced oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction play important roles in iron overload-induced cartilage degeneration.     

线粒体DNA靶向治疗

线粒体(mitochondrion)是真核生物细胞中的一种非常重要的细胞器,含有独立于细胞核染色体外的遗传物质,通过氧化磷酸化产生ATP,是细胞的能量工厂,与细胞分化、信号转导、代谢稳态等过程密切联系。线粒体功能的紊乱与癌症、神经退行性疾病、糖尿病等许多疾病的发生、发展及治疗息息相关。线粒体在细胞命运中扮演的关键角色,使对线粒体这一特殊细胞器的探索成为生命科学研究热点之一。人线粒体DNA(mitochondrial DNA, mtDNA)是一相对保守且仅16 kb的环状双链DNA分子,只含37个基因,但这些基因都是维持线粒体功能稳定必不可少的部分。随着对线粒体功能认识的不断深入,研究人员发现mtDNA突变,会导致活性氧自由基过量产生,从而引起细胞衰老,甚至引发诸多疾病,例如遗传性视神经病变、线粒体脑肌病伴高乳酸血症和卒中样发作综合征等。但是,目前针对这些线粒体基因疾病尚无非常有效的治疗手段。为了进一步了解这一关键细胞器,研究人员开发了一些有效的方法来突破线粒体的复杂屏障。本文将重点介绍并讨论近几年靶向mtDNA的研究进展,主要从药物修饰、材料递送、基因编辑等方面进行了总结,希望能为推动线粒体的研究提供一些新的思路。     

Arthropod toxins inhibiting Ca2+ and Na+ channels prevent AC‐1001 H3 peptide‐induced apoptosis

Peptide toxins of arthropods are one of the potential sources of bioactive substances. Toxins are able to bind to calcium channels and block them. Ca²⁺ ions play an important role in many cell processes, in particular, in apoptosis. In this work, we study the effect of some arthropod toxins on intracellular processes associated with the induction of apoptosis. Synthetic analogs of U₅‐scytotoxin‐Sth1a, ω‐hexatoxin‐Hv1a, ω‐theraphotoxin‐Hhn2a, and μ‐agatoxin‐Aa1a toxins—inhibitors of calcium L, P, and Q channels and sodium channels were used in the study. Apoptosis was induced by AC‐1001 H3 peptide. We study the effect of toxins on the level of apoptosis, ROS, mitochondrial potential, GSH, and ATP in CHO‐K1 cells. We show that all the tested toxins are able to dose dependently block the induction of apoptosis triggered by AC‐1001 H3 and reduce the level of natural apoptosis in CHO‐K1 cells. Cell incubation with apoptosis inducer AC‐1001 H3 in the presence and absence of toxins causes an increase in the intracellular concentrations of ROS, ATP, and mitochondrial potential and decreases the GSH concentration. The present study reveals the antiapoptotic effect of a number of arthropod peptide toxins. The toxins studied can represent a novel approach used in the treatment of pathologies associated with the activation of apoptotic mechanisms.