HPV16 E6对HeLa细胞中Rap1GAP蛋白水平下调的研究

目的探讨HPV16E6对细胞中Rap1GAP蛋白水平的影响,为阐明宫颈癌发生发展的分子机制提供实验依据。本研究组前期实验显示,宫颈癌石蜡切片组织中Rap1GAP蛋白水平下降,且与高危型HPV16/18感染相关。本文将进一步探讨HPV16 E6是否导致Rap1GAP蛋白下调的原因。方法通过将HPV16 E6基因插入pGEX-KG的BamHI和Hind Ⅲ酶切位点构建GST标记的HPVE6质粒,采用脂质体转染法将其转染入HeLa细胞中,Westernblot方法观察GST-tagged-HPV16 E6在HeLa细胞中的表达,并观察其对HeLa细胞中内源性Rap1GAP蛋白水平的影响。结果测序表明成功构建GST标记的HPV16E6质粒;Western blot检测表明HPV16E6在HeLa细胞中成功表达;并且发现HeLa细胞中过表达HPV16 E6后,Rap1GAP蛋白相对含量(0.602±0.205)明显低于未转染组(1.130±0.163),差异具有统计学意义(P0.05)。结论HPV16 E6下调Rap1GAP蛋白水平。     

Telomere Recognition and Assembly Mechanism of Mammalian Shelterin

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小分子G蛋白Rapl shRNA表达载体的构建和鉴定

应用RNA干扰(RNA interference,RNAi)技术抑制Rapl基因的表达,构建Rap1 shRNA(small hairpin RNA,shRNA)表达载体,观察其对小鼠肝脏细胞中Rap1 mRNA和蛋白表达的干扰作用.根据小鼠Rap1 mRNA的全序列.设计了3种Rap1 siRNA序列(Rap1 siRNA1、Rap1 siRNA2、Rap1 siRNA3)和阴性对照序列(HK);采用克隆技术,将其插入带有报告基因绿色荧光(ECFP)的pGenesil-3栽体,构建Rap1 shRNA表达载体:经双酶切和测序证实Rap1 siRNA表达载体克隆构建成功,插入片段测序结果与合成的siRNA结果一致;昆明小鼠40只,体重18～20 g,随机分成4组: Ⅰ组(转染HK组)、Ⅱ组(转染Rapl shRNAl组)、Ⅲ组(转染Rap1 shRNA2组)、Ⅳ组(转染Rapl shRNA3组).于0、16、24 h腹腔内注射Rapl shRNA 2.0～2.5 mg/kg(用PBS稀释至1 mL);48 h后收集小鼠肝脏.用显微荧光、定量RT-PCT、免疫组化检测小鼠肝细胞中Rap1shRNA的转染率、Rap1基因表达以及蛋白质表达水平.Ⅰ组、Ⅱ组、Ⅲ组、Ⅳ组小鼠肝脏细胞体内转染率均大于60%,Ⅱ组、Ⅲ组、Ⅳ组的Rap1 mRNA表达、Rap1蛋白表达均降低,其中Rap1 shRNA1干扰效果最佳.     

Ras guanyl nucleotide releasing protein 2 affects cell viability and cell–matrix adhesion in ECV304 endothelial cells

Ras guanyl nucleotide releasing proteins (RasGRPs) are guanine nucleotide exchange factors that activate Ras and Rap. We recently reported that xrasgrp2, which is a homolog of the human rasgrp2, plays a role in vasculogenesis and/or angiogenesis during early development of Xenopus embryos. However, the function of RasGRP2 in human vascular endothelium remains unknown. Therefore we aimed to analyze the function of human RasGRP2 in vascular endothelial cells. RasGRP2 overexpression did not increase Ras activation. However, it slightly increased Ras expression and increased proliferation in ECV304 cells. Furthermore, RasGRP2 overexpression increased Rap1 activation and cell–matrix adhesion in ECV304 cells. These data demonstrate that RasGRP2 increases cell viability and cell–matrix adhesion through increased Ras expression and Rap1 activation, respectively, in endothelial cells.     

MicroRNA-188-5p promotes apoptosis and inhibits cell proliferation of breast cancer cells via the MAPK signaling pathway by targeting Rap2c

Breast cancer is a common malignancy that is highly lethal with poor survival rates and immature therapeutics that urgently needs more effective and efficient therapies. MicroRNAs are intrinsically involved in different cancer remedies, but their mechanism in breast cancer has not been elucidated for prospective treatment. The function and mechanism of microRNA-188-5p (miR-188) have not been thoroughly investigated in breast cancer. In our study, we found that the expression of miR-188 in breast cancer tissues was obviously reduced. Our findings also revealed the abnormal overexpression of miR-188 in 4T1 and MCF-7 cells significantly suppressed cell proliferation and migration and also enhanced apoptosis. miR-188 induced cell cycle arrest in the G1 phase. To illuminate the molecular mechanism of miR-188, Rap2c was screened as a single target gene by bioinformatics database analysis and was further confirmed by dual-luciferase assay. Moreover, Rap2c was found to be a vital molecular switch for the mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway in tumor progression by decreasing apoptosis and promoting proliferation and migration. In conclusion, our results revealed that miR-188 is a cancer progression suppressor and a promising future target for breast cancer therapy.     

Protein Kinase A-dependent Phosphorylation of Rap1 Regulates Its Membrane Localization and Cell Migration

The small G protein Rap1 can mediate “inside-out signaling” by recruiting effectors to the plasma membrane that signal to pathways involved in cell adhesion and cell migration. This action relies on the membrane association of Rap1, which is dictated by post-translational prenylation as well as by a stretch of basic residues within its carboxyl terminus. One feature of this stretch of acidic residues is that it lies adjacent to a functional phosphorylation site for the cAMP-dependent protein kinase PKA. This phosphorylation has two effects on Rap1 action. One, it decreases the level of Rap1 activity as measured by GTP loading and the coupling of Rap1 to RapL, a Rap1 effector that couples Rap1 GTP loading to integrin activation. Two, it destabilizes the membrane localization of Rap1, promoting its translocation into the cytoplasm. These two actions, decreased GTP loading and decreased membrane localization, are related, as the translocation of Rap1-GTP into the cytoplasm is associated with its increased GTP hydrolysis and inactivation. The consequences of this phosphorylation in Rap1-dependent cell adhesion and cell migration were also examined. Active Rap1 mutants that lack this phosphorylation site had a minimal effect on cell adhesion but strongly reduced cell migration, when compared with an active Rap1 mutant that retained the phosphorylation site. This suggests that optimal cell migration is associated with cycles of Rap1 activation, membrane egress, and inactivation, and requires the regulated phosphorylation of Rap1 by PKA.     

The PDZ-GEF Gef26 regulates synapse development and function via FasII and Rap1 at the Drosophila neuromuscular junction

Guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) are essential for small G proteins to activate their downstream signaling pathways, which are involved in morphogenesis, cell adhesion, and migration. Mutants of Gef26, a PDZ-GEF (PDZ domain-containing guanine nucleotide exchange factor) in Drosophila, exhibit strong defects in wings, eyes, and the reproductive and nervous systems. However, the precise roles of Gef26 in development remain unclear. In the present study, we analyzed the role of Gef26 in synaptic development and function. We identified significant decreases in bouton number and branch length at larval neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) in Gef26 mutants, and these defects were fully rescued by restoring Gef26 expression, indicating that Gef26 plays an important role in NMJ morphogenesis. In addition to the observed defects in NMJ morphology, electrophysiological analyses revealed functional defects at NMJs, and locomotor deficiency appeared in Gef26 mutant larvae. Furthermore, Gef26 regulated NMJ morphogenesis by regulating the level of synaptic Fasciclin II (FasII), a well-studied cell adhesion molecule that functions in NMJ development and remodeling. Finally, our data demonstrate that Gef26-specific small G protein Rap1 worked downstream of Gef26 to regulate the level of FasII at NMJs, possibly through a βPS integrin-mediated signaling pathway. Taken together, our findings define a novel role of Gef26 in regulating NMJ development and function.     

Shank3 Binds to and Stabilizes the Active Form of Rap1 and HRas GTPases via Its NTD-ANK Tandem with Distinct Mechanisms

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