棉铃虫单核衣壳核多角体病毒囊膜蛋白odv—e66基因及其邻近区域的序列分析

杆状病毒ODV－E66蛋白是包涵体来源病毒（occlusion-derived virus,ODV）囊膜的结构蛋白,ODV囊膜对ODV的稳定性和感染性具有重要作用。本文报道了HaSNPV odv-e66基因及其邻近区域共4237bp的核苷酸序列及其分析结果。HaSNPV的odv-e66基因编码区全长2019bp,推测编码一个由672个氨基酸残基组成的,分子量为74.5kD的蛋白质。在起始密码子ATG上游具有杆状病毒晚期转录起始信号ATAAG。与其他杆状病毒ODV－E66的氨基酸序列比较分显示HaSNPV ODV-E66蛋白具有多个保守区域,包括N末端的强疏水功能区、序列中部的一个可能的核定位信号RKIW,两个Leu-xipper以及5个跨膜区。odv-e66基因上游的两个ORF分别与AcMNPV的orf108和orf109具有同源性,下游的ORF与LsNPV的p13基因具有同源性。     

N-Acetylcysteine ameliorates lipopolysaccharide-induced organ damage in conscious rats

Lipopolysaccharide is strongly associated with septic shock, leading to multiple organ failure. It can activate monocytes and macrophages to release proinflammatory mediators such as tumor necrosis factor- (TNF-), interleukin-1 (IL-1), and nitric oxide (NO). The present experiments were designed to induce endotoxin shock by an intravenous injection ofKlebsiella pneumoniae lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 10 mg/kg) in conscious rats. Arterial pressure and heart rate (HR) were continuously monitored for 48 h after LPS administration. N-Acetyl-cysteine was used to study its effects on organ damage. Biochemical substances were measured to reflect organ functions. Biochemical factors included blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine (Cre), lactic dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine phosphokinase (CPK), aspartate transferase (GOT), alanine transferase (GPT), TNF-, IL-1, methyl guanidine (MG), and nitrites/nitrates. LPS caused significant increases in blood BUN, Cre, LDH, CPK, GOT, GPT, TNF-, IL-1, MG levels, and HR, as well as a decrease in mean arterial pressure and an elevation of nitrites/nitrates. N-Acetylcysteine suppressed the release of TNF-, IL-1, and MG, but enhanced NO production. These actions ameliorate LPS-induced organ damage in conscious rats. The beneficial effects may suggest a potential chemopreventive effect of this compound in sepsis prevention and treatment.     

ASPP2增强结肠癌HCT116细胞对奥沙利铂的化疗敏感性

为研究ASPP2对奥沙利铂诱导的结肠癌细胞系HCT116 p53+/+(野生型)凋亡及周期的影响.利用ASPP2（rAd-ASPP2）及p53腺病毒（rAd-p53）感染HCT116 p53+/+细胞,经奥沙利铂50 μmol/L诱导细胞凋亡及周期改变.Western印迹检测ASPP2及p53的表达水平;MTT法检测ASPP2腺病毒对奥沙利铂诱导的HCT116细胞活性的影响;Calcein/PI吸收试验检测细胞凋亡情况;流式细胞术分析细胞周期分布. 结果显示,ASPP2、p53共同过表达,或者ASPP2单独过表达均能增强奥沙利铂诱导的HCT116 p53+/+细胞增殖抑制,以及S期抑制并伴有细胞凋亡水平的升高;而无奥沙利铂诱导时,ASPP2对HCT116 p53+/+细胞的活性、细胞周期及细胞凋亡水平的影响无统计学意义. 上述结果表明,ASPP2能够增强奥沙利铂诱导HCT116 p53+/+细胞的增殖抑制、细胞周期抑制和细胞凋亡.     

Nuclear retention of the lncRNA SNHG1 by doxorubicin attenuates hnRNPC–p53 protein interactions

The protein p53 plays a crucial role in the regulation of cellular responses to diverse stresses. Thus, a major priority in cell biology is to define the mechanisms that regulate p53 activity in response to stresses or maintain it at basal levels under normal conditions. Moreover, further investigation is required to establish whether RNA participates in regulating p53's interaction with other proteins. Here, by conducting systematic experiments, we discovered a p53 interactor—hnRNPC—that directly binds to p53, destabilizes it, and prevents its activation under normal conditions. Upon doxorubicin treatment, the lncRNA SNHG1 is retained in the nucleus through its binding with nucleolin and it competes with p53 for hnRNPC binding, which upregulates p53 levels and promotes p53‐dependent apoptosis by impairing hnRNPC regulation of p53 activity. Our results indicate that a balance between lncRNA SNHG1 and hnRNPC regulates p53 activity and p53‐dependent apoptosis upon doxorubicin treatment, and further indicate that a change in lncRNA subcellular localization under specific circumstances is biologically significant.     

Post-translational modifications in MeHg-induced neurotoxicity

Mercury (Hg) exposure remains a major public health concern due to its widespread distribution in the environment. Organic mercurials, such as MeHg, have been extensively investigated especially because of their congenital effects. In this context, studies on the molecular mechanism of MeHg-induced neurotoxicity are pivotal to the understanding of its toxic effects and the development of preventive measures. Post-translational modifications (PTMs) of proteins, such as phosphorylation, ubiquitination, and acetylation are essential for the proper function of proteins and play important roles in the regulation of cellular homeostasis. The rapid and transient nature of many PTMs allows efficient signal transduction in response to stress. This review summarizes the current knowledge of PTMs in MeHg-induced neurotoxicity, including the most commonly PTMs, as well as PTMs induced by oxidative stress and PTMs of antioxidant proteins. Though PTMs represent an important molecular mechanism for maintaining cellular homeostasis and are involved in the neurotoxic effects of MeHg, we are far from understanding the complete picture on their role, and further research is warranted to increase our knowledge of PTMs in MeHg-induced neurotoxicity.     

The role of tumor necrosis factor-α for interleukin-10 production by murine dendritic cells

In the present study, we examined the role of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) in interleukin (IL)-10 production by dendritic cells (DCs) using bone-marrow derived DCs from wild type (WT) and TNF-α knockout (TNF-α^−/−) mice. Toll-like receptor (TLR) stimulation induced substantial level of IL-10 production by WT DCs, but significantly low level of IL-10 production by TNF-α^−/− DCs. In contrast, no significant difference was detected in IL-12 p40 production between WT and TNF-α^−/− DCs. Addition of TNF-α during TLR stimulation recovered the impaired ability of TNF-α^−/− DCs for IL-10 production. This recovery appeared to be associated with an activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase, and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt following the TNF-α addition. Blocking these kinases significantly inhibited IL-10 production by TNF-α^−/− DCs stimulated with TLR ligands plus TNF-α. Thus, TNF-α may be a key molecule to regulate the balance between anti-inflammatory versus inflammatory cytokine production in DCs.     

Neurite outgrowth is enhanced by laminin-mediated down-regulation of the low affinity neurotrophin receptor, p75NTR

Laminin (LN), an extracellular matrix component, is a key factor in promoting axonal regeneration, coordinately regulating growth in conjunction with trophic signals provided by the neurotrophins, including nerve growth factor (NGF). This study investigated potential interactions between the LN and NGF-mediated signaling pathways in PC12 cells and primary neurons. Neurite outgrowth stimulated by NGF was enhanced on a LN substrate. Western blot analysis of pertinent signal transduction components revealed both enhanced phosphorylation of early signaling intermediates upon co-stimulation, and a LN-induced down-regulation of p75NTR which could be prevented by the addition of integrin inhibitory arginine-glycine-aspartate (RGD) peptides. This p75NTR down-regulation was associated with a LN-mediated up-regulation of PTEN and resulted in a decrease in Rho activity. Studies using over-expression or siRNA-mediated knock-down of PTEN demonstrate a consistent inverse relationship with p75NTR, and the over-expression of p75NTR impaired neurite outgrowth on a LN substrate, as well as resulting in sustained activation of Rho which is inhibitory to neurite outgrowth. p75NTR is documented for its role in the transduction of inhibitory myelin-derived signals, and our results point to extracellular matrix regulation of p75NTR as a potential mechanism to ameliorate inhibitory signaling leading to optimized neurite outgrowth.     

PPM1D regulates p21 expression via dephoshporylation at serine 123

The cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21 plays a critical role in regulating cell cycle and cell proliferation. We previously cloned the dog p21 gene and found that unlike human p21, dog p21 is expressed as 2 isoforms due to the proline-directed phosphorylation at serine 123 (S123). Here, we identified that PPM1D, also called Wip1 and a Mg²⁺-dependent phosphatase, dephosphorylates dog p21 protein at serine 123. Specifically, we showed that the level of S123-phosphorylated dog p21 is increased by a PPM1D inhibitor in a dose-dependent manner. We also showed that over-expression of PPM1D decreases, whereas knockdown of PPM1D increases, the level of S123-phosphorylated dog p21 regardless of p53. Additionally, in vitro phosphatase assay was performed and showed that phosphorylated S123 in dog p21 is dephosphorylated by recombinant rPPM1D, which contains the catalytic domain of human PPM1D (residue 1–420), but not by the phosphatase dead rPPM1D (D314A). Furthermore, dephosphorylation of S123 by rPPM1D can be abrogated by PPM1D inhibitor or by withdrawal of Mg²⁺. Finally, we showed that upon PPM1D inhibition, the level of S123-phosphorylated dog p21 was increased, concomitantly with decreased expression of cyclin A, cyclin B, Rb, and PCNA. Together, our results indicate that PPM1D functions as a phosphatase of dog p21 at serine 123 and plays a role in cell cycle control via p21.     

Fluorescence polarization assay and inhibitor design for MDM2/p53 interaction

MDM2 is an important negative regulator of the tumor suppressor protein p53 which regulates the expression of many genes including MDM2. The delicate balance of this autoregulatory loop is crucial for the maintenance of the genome and control of the cell cycle and apoptosis. MDM2 hyperactivity, due to amplification/overexpression or mutational inactivation of the ARF locus, inhibits the function of wild-type p53 and can lead to the development of a wide variety of cancers. Thus, the development of anti-MDM2 therapies may restore normal p53 function in tumor cells and induce growth suppression and apoptosis. We report here a novel high-throughput fluorescence polarization binding assay and its application in rank ordering small-molecule inhibitors that block the binding of MDM2 to a p53-derived fluorescent peptide.     

Cell cycle arrest induced by the vitamin D(3) analog EB1089 in NCI-H929 myeloma cells is associated with induction of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p27

EB1089, a 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) analog, has been known to have potent antiproliferative properties in a variety of malignant cells in vitro and in vivo. In the present study, we analyzed the effect of EB1089 on human myeloma cell lines. EB1089 inhibited the proliferation of NCI-H929 cells and RPMI8226 cells in a dose-dependent manner among three myeloma cell lines tested. The antiproliferative effect of EB1089 on myeloma cells was related to the expression level of vitamin D receptor. To investigate the mechanism of the antiproliferative effect of EB1089, cell cycle analysis was attempted in EB1089-sensitive NCI-H929 cells. EB1089 (1 x 10(-8) M) efficiently induced G(1) arrest of the cell cycle. Analysis of G(1) regulatory proteins demonstrated that protein levels of CDK2, CDK4, cyclin D1, and cyclin A were decreased in a time-dependent manner, but not those of CDK6 and cyclin E, by EB1089. In addition, EB1089 (1 x 10(-8) M, 72 h) increased the protein level of the CDKI p27 and markedly enhanced the binding of p27 with CDK2 compared to EB1089-untreated cells. Furthermore, the activity of CDK2-associated cyclin kinase was decreased, which was accompanied by the reduction of cyclin-D1-, cyclin-E-, and cyclin-A-associated kinase activities, resulting in the hypophosphorylation of Rb protein. These results suggest that EB1089 can inhibit the proliferation of human myeloma cells, especially NCI-H929 cells, via a G(1) block in association with the induction of p27 and the reduction of CDK2 activity.