Wnt/β-连环蛋白通路在免疫检查点抑制剂耐药中作用的研究进展

Wnt/β-连环蛋白信号通路是癌症领域最热门的分子靶点之一,与许多恶性肿瘤的发生和发展密切相关. Wnt/β-连环蛋白信号通路还广泛应用于肿瘤免疫调节,异常活化的Wnt/β-连环蛋白与肿瘤免疫抑制微环境密切相关.目前,免疫检查点抑制剂的研究和应用已相当广泛,但是以靶向程序性死亡受体1 (programmed cell death protein 1, PD-1)/程序性死亡配体1 (programmed cell death ligand 1, PD-L1)和细胞毒性T淋巴细胞抗原4 (cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4, CTLA-4)为代表的免疫检查点抑制剂存在患者响应率低和耐药的问题. Wnt/β-连环蛋白的激活会抑制肿瘤微环境CD8⁺T细胞的浸润,抑制抗肿瘤免疫反应并诱导免疫检查点抑制剂耐药.重点讨论了Wnt/β-连环蛋白信号通路与免疫检查点的关系,并对Wnt/β-连环蛋白抑制剂联合免疫检查点抑制剂治疗恶性肿瘤的研究进展进行综述.     

鱼类低温应激和损伤的信号通路与调控机制

许多优良水产养殖鱼类不耐低温，冬季冷害常导致大量养殖鱼类死亡和巨大经济损失，严重制约着我国水产养殖业的发展.低温胁迫可导致鱼类在大分子、细胞、组织、器官和系统水平出现严重损伤现象，进而影响鱼体的神经、免疫、心血管等系统功能.鱼体对低温胁迫的响应依赖于细胞内的各种生物学过程和信号传导通路.鱼体细胞内的Ca²⁺、MAPK、FoxO、自噬等信号通路可感知和传递低温信号，并启动低温应激反应，以增强鱼体的低温耐受能力.同时，低温胁迫也能激活鱼体细胞内的p53、凋亡、坏死等信号通路，促进细胞和鱼体死亡.细胞内存活和死亡信号通路之间的相互作用和动态平衡，决定组织、细胞的损伤程度和鱼体生存.通过重点介绍相关研究的新进展，为深入解析鱼类低温适应分子机制和抗寒育种提供参考.     

新生儿坏死性小肠结肠炎中细胞死亡机制的研究进展

坏死性小肠结肠炎(Necrotizing Enterocolitis, NEC)是由多因素作用导致的肠道急性炎症性疾病，是早产儿主要的死亡原因之一。以往的研究认为，细胞凋亡是NEC中肠上皮细胞最主要的死亡形式。但近年来的研究发现，程序性坏死(Necroptosis)、细胞焦亡(Pyroptosis)及铁死亡(Ferroptosis)等非凋亡形式的程序性细胞死亡(Programmed Cell Death, PCD)也可能参与到NEC的发病机制中，不同形式的细胞死亡的信号调节通路不同，可能会相互影响或存在共同的调节机制如细胞广泛凋亡小体(PANoptosome)等。本文综述了非凋亡形式的不同类型程序性细胞死亡方式及其信号调节通路，以及其在NEC中的作用机制，并提出NEC诊断生物标志物或防治的新靶点，以期为临床NEC的预防和管理提供思路。     

Notch和Wnt信号通路联合对雏鸡听觉毛细胞再生的影响

哺乳类听觉毛细胞(hair cell,HC)损伤后无法再生,鸟类听觉毛细胞损伤后可以再生,研究鸟类毛细胞再生机制将会为研究哺乳动物毛细胞再生提供理论依据.本文选取出生后7d的小鸡作为动物模型,对小鸡基底乳突(basilar papilla,BP)进行体外培养,研究鸟类基底乳突毛细胞再生过程中Notch和Wnt信号通路的作用.研究结果表明:Wnt(Wnt/β-catenin)信号通路与Notch信号通路都对毛细胞的再生作用显著,新生的毛细胞主要来源于支持细胞(supporting cell,SC);抑制Notch信号通路会促进支持细胞转分化变成毛细胞,这个过程会消耗大量的支持细胞,毛细胞的正常功能离不开支持细胞的营养和支撑,支持细胞的过度消耗对长远再生是不可取的;Wnt通路的激动可以促进支持细胞的增殖.本文联合2种信号通路,同时抑制Notch信号通路、激动Wnt信号通路,使大量支持细胞转分化形成毛细胞并不断促进支持细胞的增殖,使毛细胞的再生效果达到最佳状态.     

VMP1在TNF死亡信号通路中作用的初步研究

为了深入了解小鼠泡膜蛋白VMP1的生物学功能,我们采用免疫荧光染色、siRNA干扰技术、流式细胞术等方法对VMP1在TNF死亡信号通路中的作用进行研究.结果显示TNF的刺激可导致VMP1从L929细胞的细胞浆转移到细胞核,提示VMP1可能在TNF信号通路中起重要作用;用特异性的siRNA抑制L929细胞中VMP1的表达,细胞则表现出对TNF的明显抗性,证明VMP1参与了TNF诱导的细胞死亡信号通路.作者初步探索了VMP1与TNF死亡信号通路的关系,为进一步研究VMP1的生物学功能打下良好基础.     

Wnt信号通路与干细胞定向分化

Wnt信号通路在胚胎发育过程中参与背腹轴的形成、细胞极性的建立以及决定细胞命运.利用干细胞定向分化模型可在体外培养条件下探索Wnt信号通路在哺乳动物早期胚胎发育过程中的分子机理,了解其信号网络对干细胞定向分化中各个事件的调控机制.本文通过综合近期Wnt信号通路的研究,阐述经典Wnt信号通路(Canonical Wnt signaling pathway)在干细胞定向分化中的作用.     

PI3K-Akt和JNK信号通路抑制剂对杆状病毒诱导昆虫细胞凋亡影响的初步研究

为了探讨杆状病毒诱导昆虫细胞凋亡通路与细胞内PI3K-Akt和JNK信号通路的关系,应用PI3K的特异性抑制剂Wortmannin和JNK的特异性抑制剂SP600125处理芹菜夜蛾核型多角体病毒(AfMNPV)感染的斜纹夜蛾SL-1细胞,研究了这些抑制剂对杆状病毒诱导昆虫细胞凋亡的影响.分别使用浓度梯度2.5,25,50μmol的SP600125和0.3,3,30μmol的Wortmannin处理感染了SfaMNPV的SL-1细胞,24h后进光镜观察、DAPI荧光染色,流式细胞术分析显示,抑制PI3K-Akt和JNK信号通路后杆状病毒诱导的细胞凋亡受到明显影响,细胞凋亡水平明显降低.研究结果提示AfMNPV诱导斜纹夜蛾SL-1细胞凋亡过程可能涉及细胞PI3K-Akt和JNK信号通路.     

STAT3信号转导通路及肿瘤治疗的方法

STAT3是一类由750～800个氨基酸组成的DNA结合蛋白,有αβγ三种亚型,它因可介导细胞的恶性转化而被确认为癌基因,STAT3在早期胚胎发育和骨髓细胞的分化中发挥着不可缺少的重要作用,此外它还参与了肿瘤的增殖、分化、血管生成、侵袭转移和免疫逃避等生理功能的调控.与STAT3相关的几条信号转导通路特别是Jak-STAT3信号转导通路在多种肿瘤细胞中均有激活,体内外阻断或抑制肿瘤细胞中STAT3的信号通路可抑制细胞恶性增殖和存活,并诱导细胞凋亡,而对正常细胞却无影响.     

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.     

p38信号通路参与P19CL6细胞早期心肌分化

以P19CL6小鼠畸胎瘤细胞心肌分化为模型,研究了p38信号通路在干细胞心肌分化早期阶段的作用.在诱导剂二甲基亚砜作用下,P19CL6细胞分化为自发跳动的心肌细胞,表达心肌标志性基因.在诱导分化过程中,p38信号通路活化.采用特异性抑制剂SB203580在早期分化阶段封闭p38信号通路,结果发现:高剂量SB203580诱导细胞凋亡;低剂量SB203580抑制心肌祖细胞标志基因GATA4和Nkx2.5的表达,并显著下调生心性信号分子BMP2和BMP4的表达.而过表达p38α质粒则能促进P19CL6细胞表达GATA4和Nkx2.5.表明p38信号通路正性调控P19CL6细胞的早期心肌分化,并维持细胞的增殖和存活能力.     

RIP3 mediates the embryonic lethality of caspase-8-deficient mice

Apoptosis and necroptosis are complementary pathways controlled by common signalling adaptors, kinases and proteases; among these, caspase-8 (Casp8) is critical for death receptor-induced apoptosis. This caspase has also been implicated in non-apoptotic pathways that regulate Fas-associated via death domain (FADD)-dependent signalling and other less defined biological processes as diverse as innate immune signalling and myeloid or lymphoid differentiation patterns. Casp8 suppresses RIP3-RIP1 (also known as RIPK3-RIPK1) kinase complex-dependent necroptosis that follows death receptor activation as well as a RIP3-dependent, RIP1-independent necrotic pathway that has emerged as a host defence mechanism against murine cytomegalovirus. Disruption of Casp8 expression leads to embryonic lethality in mice between embryonic days 10.5 and 11.5 (ref. 7). Thus, Casp8 may naturally hold alternative RIP3-dependent death pathways in check in addition to promoting apoptosis. We find that RIP3 is responsible for the mid-gestational death of Casp8-deficient embryos. Remarkably, Casp8(-/-)Rip3(-/-) double mutant mice are viable and mature into fertile adults with a full immune complement of myeloid and lymphoid cell types. These mice seem immunocompetent but develop lymphadenopathy by four months of age marked by accumulation of abnormal T cells in the periphery, a phenotype reminiscent of mice with Fas-deficiency (lpr/lpr; also known as Fas). Thus, Casp8 contributes to homeostatic control in the adult immune system; however, RIP3 and Casp8 are together completely dispensable for mammalian development.     

Caspase-8 regulates TNF-α-induced epithelial necroptosis and terminal ileitis

Dysfunction of the intestinal epithelium is believed to result in the excessive translocation of commensal bacteria into the bowel wall that drives chronic mucosal inflammation in Crohn's disease, an incurable inflammatory bowel disease in humans characterized by inflammation of the terminal ileum. In healthy individuals, the intestinal epithelium maintains a physical barrier, established by the tight contact of cells. Moreover, specialized epithelial cells such as Paneth cells and goblet cells provide innate immune defence functions by secreting mucus and antimicrobial peptides, which hamper access and survival of bacteria adjacent to the epithelium. Epithelial cell death is a hallmark of intestinal inflammation and has been discussed as a possible pathogenic mechanism driving Crohn's disease in humans. However, the regulation of epithelial cell death and its role in intestinal homeostasis remain poorly understood. Here we demonstrate a critical role for caspase-8 in regulating necroptosis of intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) and terminal ileitis. Mice with a conditional deletion of caspase-8 in the intestinal epithelium (Casp8(ΔIEC)) spontaneously developed inflammatory lesions in the terminal ileum and were highly susceptible to colitis. Casp8(ΔIEC) mice lacked Paneth cells and showed reduced numbers of goblet cells, indicating dysregulated antimicrobial immune cell functions of the intestinal epithelium. Casp8(ΔIEC) mice showed increased cell death in the Paneth cell area of small intestinal crypts. Epithelial cell death was induced by tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α, was associated with increased expression of receptor-interacting protein 3 (Rip3; also known as Ripk3) and could be inhibited on blockade of necroptosis. Lastly, we identified high levels of RIP3 in human Paneth cells and increased necroptosis in the terminal ileum of patients with Crohn's disease, suggesting a potential role of necroptosis in the pathogenesis of this disease. Together, our data demonstrate a critical function of caspase-8 in regulating intestinal homeostasis and in protecting IECs from TNF-α-induced necroptotic cell death.     

FADD prevents RIP3-mediated epithelial cell necrosis and chronic intestinal inflammation

Intestinal immune homeostasis depends on a tightly regulated cross talk between commensal bacteria, mucosal immune cells and intestinal epithelial cells (IECs). Epithelial barrier disruption is considered to be a potential cause of inflammatory bowel disease; however, the mechanisms regulating intestinal epithelial integrity are poorly understood. Here we show that mice with IEC-specific knockout of FADD (FADD(IEC-KO)), an adaptor protein required for death-receptor-induced apoptosis, spontaneously developed epithelial cell necrosis, loss of Paneth cells, enteritis and severe erosive colitis. Genetic deficiency in RIP3, a critical regulator of programmed necrosis, prevented the development of spontaneous pathology in both the small intestine and colon of FADD(IEC-KO) mice, demonstrating that intestinal inflammation is triggered by RIP3-dependent death of FADD-deficient IECs. Epithelial-specific inhibition of CYLD, a deubiquitinase that regulates cellular necrosis, prevented colitis development in FADD(IEC-KO) but not in NEMO(IEC-KO) mice, showing that different mechanisms mediated death of colonic epithelial cells in these two models. In FADD(IEC-KO) mice, TNF deficiency ameliorated colon inflammation, whereas MYD88 deficiency and also elimination of the microbiota prevented colon inflammation, indicating that bacteria-mediated Toll-like-receptor signalling drives colitis by inducing the expression of TNF and other cytokines. However, neither CYLD, TNF or MYD88 deficiency nor elimination of the microbiota could prevent Paneth cell loss and enteritis in FADD(IEC-KO) mice, showing that different mechanisms drive RIP3-dependent necrosis of FADD-deficient IECs in the small and large bowel. Therefore, by inhibiting RIP3-mediated IEC necrosis, FADD preserves epithelial barrier integrity and antibacterial defence, maintains homeostasis and prevents chronic intestinal inflammation. Collectively, these results show that mechanisms preventing RIP3-mediated epithelial cell death are critical for the maintenance of intestinal homeostasis and indicate that programmed necrosis of IECs might be implicated in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease, in which Paneth cell and barrier defects are thought to contribute to intestinal inflammation.     

Functional complementation between FADD and RIP1 in embryos and lymphocytes

FADD is a common adaptor shared by several death receptors for signalling apoptosis through recruitment and activation of caspase 8 (refs 1-3). Death receptors are essential for immune homeostasis, but dispensable during embryogenesis. Surprisingly, Fadd(-/-) mice die in utero and conditional deletion of FADD leads to impaired lymphocyte proliferation. How FADD regulates embryogenesis and lymphocyte responses has been a long-standing enigma. FADD could directly bind to RIP1 (also known as RIPK1), a serine/threonine kinase that mediates both necrosis and NF-κB activation. Here we show that Fadd(-/-) embryos contain raised levels of RIP1 and exhibit massive necrosis. To investigate a potential in vivo functional interaction between RIP1 and FADD, null alleles of RIP1 were crossed into Fadd(-/-) mice. Notably, RIP1 deficiency allowed normal embryogenesis of Fadd(-/-) mice. Conversely, the developmental defect of Rip1(-/-) lymphocytes was partially corrected by FADD deletion. Furthermore, RIP1 deficiency fully restored normal proliferation in Fadd(-/-) T cells but not in Fadd(-/-) B cells. Fadd(-/-)Rip1(-/-) double-knockout T cells are resistant to death induced by Fas or TNF-α and show reduced NF-κB activity. Therefore, our data demonstrate an unexpected cell-type-specific interplay between FADD and RIP1, which is critical for the regulation of apoptosis and necrosis during embryogenesis and lymphocyte function.     

Essential role of the mitochondrial apoptosis-inducing factor in programmed cell death

Programmed cell death is a fundamental requirement for embryogenesis, organ metamorphosis and tissue homeostasis. In mammals, release of mitochondrial cytochrome c leads to the cytosolic assembly of the apoptosome-a caspase activation complex involving Apaf1 and caspase-9 that induces hallmarks of apoptosis. There are, however, mitochondrially regulated cell death pathways that are independent of Apaf1/caspase-9. We have previously cloned a molecule associated with programmed cell death called apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF). Like cytochrome c, AIF is localized to mitochondria and released in response to death stimuli. Here we show that genetic inactivation of AIF renders embryonic stem cells resistant to cell death after serum deprivation. Moreover, AIF is essential for programmed cell death during cavitation of embryoid bodies-the very first wave of cell death indispensable for mouse morphogenesis. AIF-dependent cell death displays structural features of apoptosis, and can be genetically uncoupled from Apaf1 and caspase-9 expression. Our data provide genetic evidence for a caspase-independent pathway of programmed cell death that controls early morphogenesis.     

DRP-1-mediated mitochondrial fragmentation during EGL-1-induced cell death in C. elegans

Genetic analyses in Caenorhabditis elegans have been instrumental in the elucidation of the central cell-death machinery, which is conserved from C. elegans to mammals. One possible difference that has emerged is the role of mitochondria. By releasing cytochrome c, mitochondria are involved in the activation of caspases in mammals. However, there has previously been no evidence that mitochondria are involved in caspase activation in C. elegans. Here we show that mitochondria fragment in cells that normally undergo programmed cell death during C. elegans development. Mitochondrial fragmentation is induced by the BH3-only protein EGL-1 and can be blocked by mutations in the bcl-2-like gene ced-9, indicating that members of the Bcl-2 family might function in the regulation of mitochondrial fragmentation in apoptotic cells. Mitochondrial fragmentation is independent of CED-4/Apaf-1 and CED-3/caspase, indicating that it occurs before or simultaneously with their activation. Furthermore, DRP-1/dynamin-related protein, a key component of the mitochondrial fission machinery, is required and sufficient to induce mitochondrial fragmentation and programmed cell death during C. elegans development. These results assign an important role to mitochondria in the cell-death pathway in C. elegans.     

The DNA damage response: putting checkpoints in perspective

The inability to repair DNA damage properly in mammals leads to various disorders and enhanced rates of tumour development. Organisms respond to chromosomal insults by activating a complex damage response pathway. This pathway regulates known responses such as cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis (programmed cell death), and has recently been shown to control additional processes including direct activation of DNA repair networks.     

Structure of the CED-4-CED-9 complex provides insights into programmed cell death in Caenorhabditis elegans

Interplay among four genes--egl-1, ced-9, ced-4 and ced-3--controls the onset of programmed cell death in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Activation of the cell-killing protease CED-3 requires CED-4. However, CED-4 is constitutively inhibited by CED-9 until its release by EGL-1. Here we report the crystal structure of the CED-4-CED-9 complex at 2.6 A resolution, and a complete reconstitution of the CED-3 activation pathway using homogeneous proteins of CED-4, CED-9 and EGL-1. One molecule of CED-9 binds to an asymmetric dimer of CED-4, but specifically recognizes only one of the two CED-4 molecules. This specific interaction prevents CED-4 from activating CED-3. EGL-1 binding induces pronounced conformational changes in CED-9 that result in the dissociation of the CED-4 dimer from CED-9. The released CED-4 dimer further dimerizes to form a tetramer, which facilitates the autoactivation of CED-3. Together, our studies provide important insights into the regulation of cell death activation in C. elegans.