前列腺素E_2受体EP_3及其调节剂的研究进展

前列腺素受体类型繁多,可以偶联G蛋白介导多种生理病理过程.其中前列腺素E2受体有4种亚型:EP1、EP2、EP3和EP4.EP3受体由于其亚型多样性及偶联G蛋白的复杂性使其成为众多前列腺素E2受体中较特殊的"成员".EP3的抗凝血功能研究及新型调节剂的研发是目前该领域研究的热点.本文主要阐述EP3的分布、主要功能及其调节剂的研究进展.     

H5N1亚型禽流感病毒NS1基因的克隆及原核表达

克隆、表达和纯化禽流感病毒H5N1 NS1基因序列,为筛选与NS1相互作用的宿主蛋白以及深入研究NS1蛋白的功能打下基础.根据GenBank中收录的H5N1亚型禽流感病毒NS1基因序列,设计并合成一对特异性引物,利用RT-PCR方法扩增AIV NS1基因,将酶切处理后的基因片段定向克隆到原核表达载体pET-28a载体上,经酶切分析及序列测定正确后,鉴定出NS1基因的阳性重组子.阳性质粒转化大肠杆菌BL21(DE3)感受态细胞,用1 mmol/L IPTG诱导表达,表达产物进行SDS-PAGE检测,获得预期蛋白的表达,通过Ni-NTA树脂蛋白纯化系统对NS1蛋白进行纯化.结果成功克隆H5N1亚型AIV的NSl基因,其核苷酸序列长度为678 bp,重组蛋白在大肠杆菌中可以高效表达,SDS-PAGE显示其相对分子质量与预计大小一致,表达产物在上清及包涵体中均有表达.经纯化,目的蛋白纯度高达90%,成功表达纯化出28KD的NS1融合蛋白并鉴定其免疫学活性.成功克隆和表达了禽流感病毒H5N1 NS1基因序列,为进一步研究NS1蛋白的生物学功能奠定了坚实基础.     

一种新的呫诺美林衍生物促进小鼠神经元生成

0 引言 毒蕈碱乙酰胆碱受体(M受体)是动物体内重要的神经递质受体,在中枢神经系统主要表达M1受体.M1受体与动物的认知功能及阿尔茨海默病(AD)的神经退行性病理过程密切相关.研究表明,许多M1受体激动剂能通过激活M1受体,缓解AD病理症状,并改善AD病人的认知能力,因此可以作为潜在的AD治疗药物[1].     

纹皮蝇Hypodermin B基因在大肠杆菌中的表达

从纹皮蝇Ⅰ期幼虫中提取总RNA,RT-PCR扩增纹皮蝇Hypodermin B(HB)基因.将扩增基因进行克隆测序,构建原核表达载体pET30-HB,转化大肠杆菌BL21(DE3).用IPTG诱导表达后,得到表达量达全菌蛋白30%以上的特异性蛋白.SDS-PAGE分析表明表达产物主要以包涵体形式存在.Western blotting检测结果表明,获得的重组蛋白为重组Hypodermin B,具有较好的反应原性.     

黄杆菌（Flavobacterium sp.）ATCC27551 opd基因在E.coli中的克隆及表达

研究了黄杆菌ATCC27551的opd基因在大肠杆菌中的表达,并对于表达产物进行了胞内定位和酶活测定,通过PCR扩增和PCR产物直接克隆,将黄杆菌质粒上的一段长达1137bp和opd基因进行扩增及克隆,然后按正确的读码框亚克隆于表达载体pET28b（ ）上,转化宿主菌E.coli BL21（DE3）,经IPTG诱导,获得了较高量的基因表达产物,该表达产物以包涵体的形式存在于细胞内,通过分离包涵体可以得到电泳较纯的条带,工程菌的细胞活性达到原始菌株黄杆菌的水平。     

融合表面抗SA-28基因在Pichia Pastoris酵母系统中的表达

将乙肝病毒表面抗原S-preS1融合基因SA-28插入质粒载体pAO815的EcoR Ⅰ位点中,将其置于Pichia Pastoris酵母AOX1启动子控制下.利用电转化技术,融合基因表达单元连同HIS4基因被整合到受体菌SMD1168基因组中.对得到的工程菌进行发酵和表达产物的研究表明:SA-28基因在该系统中的表达受甲醇诱导调控;SA-28融合基因的表达产物具有S和PreS1的双重抗原性.用CsC1密度梯度离心法纯化了表达产物,融合抗原活性峰位于密度为1.19 mg/cm3的区带.     

PI3K等5条信号通路对NIH3T3细胞周期进程的调节作用研究

为从基因转录水平解析信号通路对NIH3T3细胞周期进程的调控作用,用小鼠基因表达谱芯片Mouse Genome 4 302.0检测信号通路相关基因表达丰度发现,PI3K,STAT3,钙蛋白酶,Rho家族鸟苷酸激酶和VEGF等5条信号通路的105个基因在该细胞的细胞周期中发生有意义的表达变化.分析基因表达变化预示的信号通路作用表明,上述5条信号通路依次促进G1期、G1/S转换期、S期、G2/M转换期和M期进程.结论:上述5条信号通路促进NIH3T3细胞的细胞周期进程.     

小儿肾病综合症肾素-血管紧张素系统基因多态性研究

目的:探讨肾素-血管紧张素系统基因多态性与小儿肾脏疾病的关系及其意义。方法:用PCR方法检测4 0例肾病综合症患儿及5 0例正常对照组儿童的肾素-血管紧张素系统基因多态性。结果:①血管紧张素M2 35T基因多态性MM、MT、TT基因型肾病组分别为37 5 %、2 7 5 %、35 0 % ;对照组分别为6 6 0 %、18 0 %、16 0 % ,差异有显著性(P <0 0 5 )。②血管紧张素Ⅱ受体Ⅰ基因多态性AA、AC、CC基因型肾病组分别为4 5 0 %、2 7 5 %、2 7 5 % ,对照组分别为6 8 0 %、2 0 0 %、12 0 % ,差异无显著性(P >0 0 5 )。③血管紧张素转换酶基因多态性Ⅱ、DI、DD基因型肾病组分别为4 5 0 %、4 2 5 %、12 5 % ,对照组分别为4 6 0 %、4 4 0 %、10 0 % ,差异无显著性(P >0 0 5 )。其中难治性肾病组(2 0例)与非难治性肾病组(2 0例)比较、激素敏感组(2 9例)与激素耐药组(11例)比较,血管紧张素M2 35T基因多态性、血管紧张素Ⅱ受体Ⅰ基因多态性、血管紧张素转换酶基因多态性差异均无显著性(均P >0 0 5 )。结论:血管紧张素M2 35T基因TT型可能与小儿肾病综合症的发病密切相关;血管紧张素Ⅱ受体Ⅰ基因多态性、血管紧张素转换酶基因多态性与小儿肾病综合症的发病无关,未能证实肾素-血管紧张素系统基因多态性与疗效有关     

基于转录组学分析日本沼虾原肌球蛋白对小鼠巨噬细胞极化的影响

为研究日本沼虾原肌球蛋白对巨噬细胞极化的影响,运用转录组学分析原肌球蛋白诱导的巨噬细胞极化过程中基因表达的差异性。结果表明:与磷酸盐缓冲溶液组(PBS组)相比,原肌球蛋白诱导组(TM组)有69个基因表达上调,154个基因表达下调,富集到180条通路;TM组相较于脂多糖和IFN-γ联合诱导M1型巨噬细胞组(LPSIFN组)有1346个基因表达上调,1360个基因下调,富集到308条通路;TM组与IL-4诱导M2型巨噬细胞组(IL4组)相比,有455个基因上调,446个基因下调,富集到269条通路。根据KEGG结果选择5条可能涉及巨噬细胞极化的信号通路,包括NOD样受体信号通路、Jak-STAT信号通路、NF-κB信号通路、Toll样受体信号通路和PI3K/Akt信号通路,对这5条通路中的NOD2、TLR2、AKT3、NLRP3、Caspase-1、CD14、Lat、Myd88、NFKBIA和STAT1基因的表达进行验证,检测到TM组NOD2、TLR2、NLRP3、STAT1这4个基因表达量相较于PBS组显著升高,与这4个基因相关的NOD样受体信号通路、Jak-STAT信号通路、Toll样受体信号通路参与原肌球蛋白诱导巨噬细胞极化的过程。研究旨在为进一步分析巨噬细胞极化与食物过敏的关系提供理论依据。     

αB-晶状体蛋白CRYAB基因重组表达载体的构建及分子生物学鉴定

目的:构建人晶状体蛋白CRYAB基因与真核表达载体pIRES2-DsRed-Express的重组体,为研究人晶状体蛋白CRYAB基因的功能奠定基础.方法:根据人晶状体蛋白CRYAB基因的核苷酸序列,设计并合成分别带有酶切位点的引物,从pMD 18T-CRYAB基因克隆载体中扩增出CRYAB基因外显子片段,与载体pIRES2-DsRed-Express连接构建人晶状体蛋白CRYAB基因的表达载体,转化入大肠杆菌DH5α中.经抗生素筛选阳性克隆,通过酶切图谱分析、菌落PCR和测序鉴定所构建的表达载体.结果:构建的载体经PCR、酶切鉴定和测序证实插入方向正确,表达阅读框正确,载体构建成功.结论:重组人晶状体蛋白CRYAB基因表达载体的构建为研究CRYAB基因的功能及进一步研究先天性白内障的发病机制奠定了基础.     

Structure of the human M2 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor bound to an antagonist

The parasympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system regulates the activity of multiple organ systems. Muscarinic receptors are G-protein-coupled receptors that mediate the response to acetylcholine released from parasympathetic nerves. Their role in the unconscious regulation of organ and central nervous system function makes them potential therapeutic targets for a broad spectrum of diseases. The M2 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (M2 receptor) is essential for the physiological control of cardiovascular function through activation of G-protein-coupled inwardly rectifying potassium channels, and is of particular interest because of its extensive pharmacological characterization with both orthosteric and allosteric ligands. Here we report the structure of the antagonist-bound human M2 receptor, the first human acetylcholine receptor to be characterized structurally, to our knowledge. The antagonist 3-quinuclidinyl-benzilate binds in the middle of a long aqueous channel extending approximately two-thirds through the membrane. The orthosteric binding pocket is formed by amino acids that are identical in all five muscarinic receptor subtypes, and shares structural homology with other functionally unrelated acetylcholine binding proteins from different species. A layer of tyrosine residues forms an aromatic cap restricting dissociation of the bound ligand. A binding site for allosteric ligands has been mapped to residues at the entrance to the binding pocket near this aromatic cap. The structure of the M2 receptor provides insights into the challenges of developing subtype-selective ligands for muscarinic receptors and their propensity for allosteric regulation.     

Mice lacking the M3 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor are hypophagic and lean

Members of the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor family (M1-M5) have central roles in the regulation of many fundamental physiological functions. Identifying the specific receptor subtype(s) that mediate the diverse muscarinic actions of acetylcholine is of considerable therapeutic interest, but has proved difficult primarily because of a lack of subtype-selective ligands. Here we show that mice deficient in the M3 muscarinic receptor (M3R-/- mice) display a significant decrease in food intake, reduced body weight and peripheral fat deposits, and very low levels of serum leptin and insulin. Paradoxically, hypothalamic messenger RNA levels of melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH), which are normally upregulated in fasted animals leading to an increase in food intake, are significantly reduced in M3R-/- mice. Intra-cerebroventricular injection studies show that an agouti-related peptide analogue lacked orexigenic (appetite-stimulating) activity in M3R-/- mice. However, M3R-/- mice remained responsive to the orexigenic effects of MCH. Our data indicate that there may be a cholinergic pathway that involves M3-receptor-mediated facilitation of food intake at a site downstream of the hypothalamic leptin/melanocortin system and upstream of the MCH system.     

Acetylcholine hyperpolarizes central neurones by acting on an M2 muscarinic receptor

Acetylcholine (ACh) is considered to act as a neurotransmitter in the mammalian brain by binding to membrane receptors and bringing about a change in neurone excitability. In the case of muscarinic receptors, cell excitability is usually increased; this effect results from a closure of membrane potassium channels in cortical cells. However, some central neurones are inhibited by ACh, and we hypothesized that these two opposite effects of ACh resulted from interactions with different subtypes of muscarinic receptor. We made intracellular recordings from neurones in the rat nucleus parabrachialis, a group of neurones in the upper pons some of which themselves synthesize ACh. ACh and muscarine caused a membrane hyperpolarization which resulted from an increase in the membrane conductance to potassium ions. The muscarinic receptor subtype was characterized by determining the dissociation equilibrium constant (KD) for pirenzepine during the intracellular recording; the value of approximately 600 nM indicates a receptor in the M2 class. This muscarinic receptor is quite different from that which brings about a decrease in potassium conductance in other neurones, which has a pirenzepine KD of approximately 10 nM (M1 receptors). It is possible that antagonists selective for this kind of M2 receptor would be useful in the management of conditions, such as Alzheimer's disease, which are associated with a reduced effectiveness of cholinergic neurones.     

Structure and dynamics of the M3 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor

Acetylcholine, the first neurotransmitter to be identified, exerts many of its physiological actions via activation of a family of G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) known as muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs). Although the five mAChR subtypes (M1-M5) share a high degree of sequence homology, they show pronounced differences in G-protein coupling preference and the physiological responses they mediate. Unfortunately, despite decades of effort, no therapeutic agents endowed with clear mAChR subtype selectivity have been developed to exploit these differences. We describe here the structure of the G(q/11)-coupled M3 mAChR ('M3 receptor', from rat) bound to the bronchodilator drug tiotropium and identify the binding mode for this clinically important drug. This structure, together with that of the G(i/o)-coupled M2 receptor, offers possibilities for the design of mAChR subtype-selective ligands. Importantly, the M3 receptor structure allows a structural comparison between two members of a mammalian GPCR subfamily displaying different G-protein coupling selectivities. Furthermore, molecular dynamics simulations suggest that tiotropium binds transiently to an allosteric site en route to the binding pocket of both receptors. These simulations offer a structural view of an allosteric binding mode for an orthosteric GPCR ligand and provide additional opportunities for the design of ligands with different affinities or binding kinetics for different mAChR subtypes. Our findings not only offer insights into the structure and function of one of the most important GPCR families, but may also facilitate the design of improved therapeutics targeting these critical receptors.     

5-HT3 receptors mediate inhibition of acetylcholine release in cortical tissue

The release of cerebral acetylcholine from terminals in the cerebral cortex has been shown to be regulated by 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) but it is not known which subtype of the 5-HT receptor is involved. 5-HT receptor agonists increase acetylcholine levels in vivo, indicating a reduced turnover, and reduce release of acetylcholine from striatal slices in vitro. Depleting 5-HT by inhibiting synthesis or by destroying the neurons containing 5-HT potentiates acetylcholine release, and increases acetylcholine turnover in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus. Selective antagonists for the 5-HT3 receptor subtypes which seem to have effects on mood and activity may exert their effect through the regulation of acetylcholine release in the cortex and limbic system. Radioligand binding studies show a high density of 5-HT3 receptors in the cholinergic-rich entorhinal cortex and we provide evidence that a reduction in cortical cholinergic function can be effected in vitro by 5-HT3 receptors.     

The genomic clone G-21 which resembles a beta-adrenergic receptor sequence encodes the 5-HT1A receptor

The recent cloning of the complementary DNAs and/or genes for several receptors linked to guanine nucleotide regulatory proteins including the adrenergic receptors (alpha 1, alpha 2A, alpha 2B, beta 1, beta 2), several subtypes of the muscarinic cholinergic receptors, and the visual 'receptor' rhodopsin has revealed considerable similarity in the primary structure of these proteins. In addition, all of these proteins contain seven putative transmembrane alpha-helices. We have previously described a genomic clone, G-21, isolated by cross-hybridization at reduced stringency with a full length beta 2-adrenergic receptor probe. This clone contains an intronless gene which, because of its striking sequence resemblance to the adrenergic receptors, is presumed to encode a G-protein-coupled receptor. Previous attempts to identify this putative receptor by expression studies have failed. We now report that the protein product of the genomic clone, G21, transiently expressed in monkey kidney cells has all the typical ligand-binding characteristics of the 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT1A) receptor.     

Acetylcholine analogue stimulates DNA synthesis in brain-derived cells via specific muscarinic receptor subtypes

Little is known about the factors which regulate the growth and development of the mammalian brain. Although proliferation of neuronal cells ceases relatively early in development, certain types of glial cells proliferate and differentiate mainly perinatally. In the perinatal period, the ability of acetylcholine to stimulate phosphoinositide (PI) hydrolysis in brain reaches peak levels, and indeed the stable acetylcholine analogue carbachol can stimulate PI hydrolysis of primary neonatal astroglial cells. As PI hydrolysis is thought to be important in the regulation of cell proliferation, we investigated whether cellular DNA synthesis can be induced by carbachol. Our results show that carbachol stimulates DNA synthesis via muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs), in primary astrocytes derived from perinatal rat brain, in an age-dependent fashion. Carbachol is also mitogenic in certain brain-derived astrocytoma and neuroblastoma cell lines, as well as in chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells expressing recombinant muscarinic receptors. DNA synthesis is strongly activated by carbachol in those brain-derived cell lines and transfected CHO cells that express mAChR subtypes which activate PI hydrolysis efficiently, and poorly activated in cells expressing mAChR subtypes which only weakly activate PI hydrolysis. These results strongly support a role for acetylcholine in regulating astroglial cell growth in the developing brain, and indicate that the specificity of acetylcholine-induced cell proliferation may be determined by the expression of those mAChR subtypes which activate PI hydrolysis.     

Acetylcholine induces burst firing in thalamic reticular neurones by activating a potassium conductance

Recent studies have emphasized the role of acetylcholine (ACh) as an excitatory modulator of neuronal activity in mammalian cortex and hippocampus. Much less is known about the mechanism of direct cholinergic inhibition in the central nervous system or its role in regulating neuronal activities. Here we report that application of ACh to thalamic nucleus reticularis (nRt) neurones, which are known to receive a cholinergic input from the ascending reticular system of the brain stem, causes a hyperpolarization due to a relatively small (1-4 nS) increase in membrane conductance to K+. This cholinergic action appears to be mediated by the M2 subclass of muscarinic receptors and acts in conjunction with the intrinsic membrane properties of nucleus reticularis neurones to inhibit single spike activity while promoting the occurrence of burst discharges. Thus, cholinergic inhibitory mechanisms may be important in controlling the firing pattern of this important group of thalamic neurones.     

Potassium conductances in hippocampal neurons blocked by excitatory amino-acid transmitters

Excitatory amino acids mediate fast synaptic transmission in the central nervous system through the activation of at least three distinct ionotropic receptors: N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA), the alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-isoxasole-4-propionate (AMPA)/quisqualate (QUIS) and the kainate subtypes (for reviews, see refs 1, 2). They also activate the additional QUIS 'metabotropic' receptor (sensitive to trans-1-amino-cyclopentyl-1,3-dicarboxylate, ACPD) linked to inositol phospholipid metabolism. We have used hippocampal slice cultures to study the electrophysiological consequences of the metabotropic response. We find that activation of an ACPD-sensitive QUIS receptor produces a 'slow' excitation of CA3 pyramidal cells, resulting from depression of a Ca2(+)-dependent K+ current and a voltage-gated K+ current. Combined voltage-clamp and microfluorometric recordings show that, although these receptors can trigger an increase in intracellular Ca2+ concentration, suppression of K+ currents is independent of changes in intracellular Ca2+. These effects closely resemble those induced by activating muscarinic acetylcholine receptors in the same neurons and suggest that excitatory amino acids not only act as fast ionotropic transmitters but also as slow neuromodulatory transmitters.