Cytomegalovirus infection blocks apoptosis in cancer cells

Recent pathological findings reveal a higher frequency of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) in tumor cells from different tumors compared with surrounding tissues. Experimental investigations suggest possible supportive effects of HCMV for tumor development and progression. One HCMV effect on tumor cells is the inhibition of apoptosis, leading to the promotion of tumor cell survival. Decreased sensitivity to treatment-induced tumor cell death is a major reason for failure of anticancer chemotherapy. HCMV infection interferes with both the intrinsic and extrinsic cellular apoptosis pathways. HCMV promotes cell survival signaling influencing the tumor suppressor p53 and its relative p73, and stimulates the antiapoptotic Ras/Raf/MEK/Erk- and PI-3K-signaling pathways. Antiapoptotic effects mediated by HCMV are inhibited by antiviral treatment in cell culture. Therefore, a better understanding of the influence of HCMV infection on tumor cell apoptosis might translate into improved anti-cancer therapy.Received 10 November 2003; received after revision 22 December 2003; accepted 14 January 2004     

Adenovirus-mediated<Emphasis Type="Italic">CTLA4-FasL</Emphasis> gene transfer prevents autoimmune diabetes in mice induced by multiple low doses of streptozotocin

Type 1 diabetes is the result of a selective destruction of insulin-producing β cells in pancreatic islets by autoreactive T cells. Depletion of autoreactive T cell through apoptosis may be a potential strategy for the prevention of autoimmune diabetes. Simultaneous stimulation of Fas-mediated pathway and blockade of costimulation by a CTLA4-FasL fusion protein has been reported to lead to substantial inhibition of mixed lymphocyte reaction and enhanced in vitro apoptosis of peripheral lymphocytes. To test the feasibility of CTLA4-FasL-based gene therapy to prevent autoimmune diabetes, we developed recombinant adenovirus containing human CTLA4-FasL gene (AdCTLA4-FasL). A single injection of 2×10~8 plaque forming units (PFU) of AdCTLA4-FasL via tail vein dramatically reduced the incidence of autoimmune diabetes in mice induced by multiple low doses of streptozotocin. AdCTLA4-FasL administration maintained islet insulin content, significantly increased apoptosis of pancreatic lymphocytes, quantitatively     

细胞凋亡与病毒感染

病毒感染细胞后通过其自身基因的表达或激活宿主细胞凋亡相关基因,启动或抑制细胞凋亡.研究病毒与细胞的相互关系,有助于深入理解病毒的致病机理,为病毒性疾病的预防、治疗和诊断提供相应对策.     

金克诱导肿瘤细胞凋亡的细胞周期特异性定性

体外培养的Molt 4细胞与不同浓度的金克孵育,通过Sub G1法和PA法分析细胞凋亡率及细胞凋亡的周期时相性。发现浓度为1.5g/L的金克诱导G1期Molt 4细胞18h后细胞发生明显凋亡,36h后凋亡达到最高峰。金克诱导肿瘤细胞凋亡的周期时相性的阐明有助于揭示金克的抗肿瘤机制。     

Two tyrosines in CD3s-ITAM are required to induce T lymphocyte apoptosis

CD3ε of T cell antigen receptor complex (TCR/CD3) plays an important role in the resembling of the complex and activation signaling through its conservative immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif (ITAM) in the cytoplasmic tall. Previous study showed that a chimera molecule, consisting of the extracellular-transmembrane domain of human CD8α fused to the cytoplasmic domain of CD3ε, induced apoptosis of T lymphocytes, indicating that apoptotic signals were transduced through the CD3ε-ITAM. To elineate involvement of the two tyrosines in apoptotic signaling pathway, cDNAs with mutations at Y170F, Y181F and Y170F/Y181F in CD8ε-ITAM were made by point mutation and PCR, and then cloned into pcDNA3 eukaryotic expression vectors. Stable expression cell lines were established after transfection of the expression vectors into CD8^- Jurkat T lymphocytes. Stimulation of these cell lines with anti-CD8 monoclonal antibody showed that only the cells with expression of wild type chimera CD8-ε died by apoptosis, but not those cells with expressions of mutated CD8-ε chimera, indicating that the two tyrosines in CD3ε-ITAM were required for the apoptotic signal transduction in T lymphocytes.     

流式细胞仪法检测4HPR诱导Hela细胞凋亡的百分率

目的：实验结果表明4HPR抑制Hela细胞生长的机理之一是诱导该细胞凋亡。本文用流式细胞仪检测不同浓度的4HPR作用不同时间Hela细胞凋亡的百分比及细胞周期变化。方法：体外细胞培养及流式细胞仪检测法。结果：2μg／m的4HPR作用24、48、72h后,Hela细胞的凋亡百分比分别为4.1％、6．6％、26％;4μg／ml的4HPR分别为5．1％、8．3％、28％、8μg／ml的4HPR分别为5．9％、6．2％、34％。细胞周期分布图中,G1细胞明显减少。结论：上述结果提示Hela细胞凋亡的百分比与4HPR的作用时间、作用浓度呈正相关。     

紫杉醇诱导HeLa细胞凋亡的研究

目的：探讨紫杉醇抑制HeLa细胞生长的机制。方法：经荧光染色、电镜观察细胞形态,DNALadder及流式细胞仪检测凋亡细胞。结果：紫杉醇作用24h经荧光染色细胞呈不均一亮蓝色,作用48h细胞被染成红色,电镜观察可见细胞变小,染色质浓缩并产生凋亡小体,DNALadder未见明显的梯形条带,流式细胞仪检测紫杉醇作用24h细胞凋亡。结论：紫杉醇可诱导细胞凋亡,也可直接杀伤HeLa细胞,而且以后者为主。     

细胞凋亡的基因调节

现普遍认为细胞凋亡是基因介导的细胞死亡,大量的实验结果表明导致细胞凋亡的基因有ced3、ced4、p53、c-myc、E1A以及ICE基因等。抑制细胞凋亡的基因有ced9、v—ab1、v-raf、E1B、P35、bcl-2及相关基因(BHRF、LMW5-HL、Bcl-X_L)等,这些基因在不同的生存因子以及在不同的细胞中,作用效果不尽相同。