The WD repeat protein FAN regulates lysosome size independent from abnormal downregulation/membrane recruitment of protein kinase C

FAN (factor associated with neutral sphingomyelinase [N-SMase] activation) exhibits striking structural homologies to Lyst (lysosomal trafficking regulator), a BEACH protein whose inactivation causes formation of giant lysosomes/Chediak-Higashi syndrome. Here, we show that cells lacking FAN show a statistically significant increase in lysosome size (although less pronounced as Lyst), pointing to previously unrecognized functions of FAN in regulation of the lysosomal compartment. Since FAN regulates activation of N-SMase in complex with receptor for activated C-kinase (RACK)1, a scaffolding protein that recruits and stabilizes activated protein kinase C (PKC) isotypes at cellular membranes, and since an abnormal (calpain-mediated) downregulation/membrane recruitment of PKC has been linked to the defects observed in Lyst-deficient cells, we assessed whether PKC is also of relevance in FAN signaling. Our results demonstrate that activation of PKC is not required for regulation of N-SMase by FAN/RACK1. Conversely, activation of PKC and recruitment/stabilization by RACK1 occurs uniformly in the presence or absence of FAN (and equally, Lyst). Furthermore, regulation of lysosome size by FAN is not coupled to an abnormal downregulation/membrane recruitment of PKC by calpain. Identical results were obtained for Lyst, questioning the previously reported relevance of PKC for formation of giant lysosomes and in Chediak-Higashi syndrome. In summary, FAN mediates activation of N-SMase as well as regulation of lysosome size by signaling pathways that operate independent from activation/membrane recruitment of PKC.     

乙肝病毒表面抗原preS1与人肿瘤坏死因子α融合基因的表达

用ＰＣＲ法获得了ＨＢｓＡｇｐｒｅＳ１（１－６５）肽段基因,将该基因融合在肿瘤坏死因子（ｈＴＮＦα）之后,插入表达载体ＰＳＢ－９２中,使融合基因的５′端直接置于大肠肝菌ＰＬ启动子下游,采用３０℃培养,４２℃诱导,获得了ＴＮＦ与ｐｒｅＳ１（１－６５）融合蛋白的表达产物。ＳＤＳ－ＰＡＧＥ电泳显示表达产物为２５ｋＤ,约占细菌总蛋白的３５％。表达产物经Ｗｅｓｔｅｒｎｂｌｏｔ验证,能分别特异地与ｈＴＮＦα抗体与ｐｒｅＳ１抗体结合,稀释复性后,该融合蛋白还具有ＴＮＦ的生理功能（对Ｌ９２９细胞的细胞毒活性）。经ＤＮＡ序列测定,ｐｒｅＳ１（１－６５）肽基因正确地融合在ｈＴＮＦα基因之后。该结果提供了一种制备ｐｒｅＳ１的新方法,为进一步开展治疗肝癌和乙肝的导向药物打下基础。     

The RING Domain of TRAF2 Plays an Essential Role in the Inhibition of TNFα-Induced Cell Death but Not in the Activation of NF-κB

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor-associated factor 2 (TRAF2) and receptor-interacting protein 1 (RIP1) play critical roles in activating c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and inhibitor of κB kinase (IKK), as well as in inhibiting apoptosis induced by TNFα. The TRAF2 RING domain-mediated polyubiquitination of RIP1 is believed to be essential for TNFα-induced IKK activation, and the RING-domain-deleted TRAF2 (TRAF2-ΔR) has been widely used as a dominant negative in transient overexpression systems to block TNFα-induced JNK and IKK activation. Here, we report that stable expression of TRAF2-ΔR at a physiological level in TRAF2 and TRAF5 double knockout (TRAF2/5 DKO) cells almost completely restores normal TNFα-induced IKK activation, but not RIP1 polyubiquitination. In addition, stable expression of TRAF2-ΔR in TRAF2/5 DKO cells efficiently inhibited the TNFα-induced later phase of prolonged JNK activation, yet failed to inhibit TNFα-induced cell death. Although the basal and inducible expression of anti-apoptotic proteins in TRAF2-ΔR-expressing TRAF2/5 DKO cells was normal, the cells remained sensitive to TNFα-induced cell death because anti-apoptotic proteins were not recruited to the TNFR1 complex efficiently. Moreover, stable expression of TRAF2-ΔR in TRAF2/5 DKO cells failed to suppress constitutive p100 processing in these cells. These data suggest that (i) the TRAF2 RING domain plays a critical role in inhibiting cell death induced by TNFα and is essential for suppressing the noncanonical nuclear factor κB pathway in unstimulated cells; (ii) RIP1 polyubiquitination is not essential for TNFα-induced IKK activation; and (iii) prolonged JNK activation has no obligate role in TNFα-induced cell death.     

The murine TRAIL receptor signals caspase-independent cell death through ceramide

Death receptors such as the 55 kDa tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor (TNF-R55) or Fas can initiate both apoptotic (caspase-dependent) and caspase-independent routes to programmed cell death (PCD). Here, we demonstrate for the first time that the single murine receptor for (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (mTRAIL-R2) can induce a caspase-independent form of PCD with necrosis-like features in addition to apoptosis. Analysis of morphological and cellular features of caspase-independent PCD in response to TRAIL and TNF suggests that mTRAIL-R2 and TNF-R55 elicit caspase-independent PCD through similar pathways, although without participation of cathepsins. Cells overexpressing acid ceramidase (AC), an enzyme that metabolizes the sphingolipid ceramide, show enhanced survival from TRAIL-induced caspase-independent PCD but not from apoptosis, implicating a function of ceramide as a key mediator in caspase-independent PCD (but not apoptosis) induced by mTRAIL-R2. In concert with the enhanced resistance of AC-overexpressing cells against caspase-independent PCD induced by TNF, our results suggest that ceramide acts as a common mediator of caspase-independent PCD caused by death receptors such as mTRAIL-R2 and TNF-R55.     

过量表达的hTR75可独立介导hTNFα的细胞毒性

利用细小ＲＮＡ 病毒属脑炎和心肌炎病毒（ＥＭＣＶ）的内核糖体进入位点（ＩＲＥＳ）元件构建了人肿瘤坏死因子受体７５ 基因（ｈＴＲ７５） 和新霉素抗性基因（ｎｅｏＲ）的双顺反子表达载体, 通过电脉冲转染ＢＨＫ２１ 细胞, 筛选出分别和同时稳定过量表达两种ｈＴＮＦ受体的细胞株。这些细胞在ｍＲＮＡ 和蛋白质水平均可检测到ｈＴＲ７５ 的表达。利用野生型和具有两种受体选择性结合活性的ｈＴＮＦα突变体对这些细胞株进行测定, 发现过量表达的ｈＴＲ７５ 可以独立地介导ｈＴＮＦα对ＢＨＫ２１ 细胞的细胞毒性, 而ｈＴＲ５５ 的存在并不能显著增强这种作用。上述结果为进一步阐明ＴＲ７５ 的功能以及两种受体间的相互作用提供了一条新的途径。     

重组人肿瘤坏死因子α(hTNFα)衍生物发酵条件的研究

本文对一种新型重组人肿瘤坏死因子衍生物（命名为ｈＴＮＦＤ）的发酵条件进行了初步研究。通过实验优化选择了适宜该衍生物表达的培养基、ＩＰＴＧ使用浓度、诱导时期以及诱导时间的长短等,并在５０Ｌ发酵罐进行了中试规模的放大培养,菌体的收获量湿重可达１６４３ｇ／Ｌ,ｈＴＮＦＤ表达量占总蛋白的６０％,纯化的衍生物比活为１０１×１０１０Ｕ／ｍｇ,比原型ｈＴＮＦα提高了４６５倍,具有潜在的临床应用价值。     

突变型hTNFα重组体的构建及其在真核细胞中的表达

选择一种高效低毒的ｈＴＮＦαｃＤＮＡ突变体为目的基因,以质粒ｐｃＤＮＡ３１（＋）为载体,构建了ｈＴＮＦα重组体ｐｃＤＮＡ３１（＋）－ｈＴＮＦα。经限制性内切酶分析证实了重组体结构的正确性,用ＤＮＡ－磷酸钙共沉淀法将重组体导入鼠成纤维细胞ＮＩＨ３Ｔ３中,测其瞬时表达,证明重组体有表达突变型ｈＴＮＦα蛋白的功能。突变型ｈＴＮＦα表达质粒的成功构建,为其应用于肿瘤的基因治疗提供了前提     

TNF receptor－associated factor－2 binding site is involved in TNFR75－dependent enhancement of TNFR55－induced cell death

INTRODUCTIONTumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFa) is apleiotropic cytokine that is mainly produced by acti-vated macrophages and lymphocytes[1]. TNFa ini-tiates inflammatory, immune regulatory and patho-physiologic responses by binding to two distinct cellsurface receptors of TR55 (55 kDa) and TR75 (75kDa)[2]. Both receptors belong to TNF receptorsuperfamily because they share 28% homoIogy andcontain 4 conserved cysteine--rich subdomain in theirextracellular regions[3]. It is the uniqu…