肺癌组织中神经内分泌细胞的胚性重演

目的：检测肺癌组织神经内分泌细胞表达特征,方法：用组织化学和免疫组化染色检测70例人肺癌组织中分泌胃泌素释放肽（gastrin-releasing peptide,GRP),降钙素（Calcitonin,CT)及嗜铬素A（chromogranin A,CgA)神经内分 细胞的表达,结果：肺神经内分泌癌,腺癌,鳞癌及大细胞癌中神经内分泌细胞的阳性率分别为95％,55％,45％和50％,GRP阳性细胞在小细胞癌,低分化腺癌及鳞癌的表达高于高分化癌组织（P＜0．01）,CgA阳性细胞在类癌,高分化腺癌的表达高于低分化癌组织（P＜0．01）,结论：肺癌分化程度与神经内分泌细胞表达的 类有显著相关性,神经内分泌细胞在肺癌组织发生过程表现出胚性重演的特点,胎肺发育与肺癌发生在一定程度可能存在相同的调节因素。     

PDIA3对人Jurkat T细胞TCR信号通路的调控

为了研究蛋白质二硫键异构酶A3前体(protein disulfide isomerase A3 precursor, PDIA3)在T细胞受体(T cell receptor, TCR)信号通路中的具体功能,利用电穿孔法将T 细胞内的PDIA3蛋白水平敲低,通过Western blotting检测ζ-链相关蛋白70(zeta-chain associated protein 70, ZAP70)的磷酸化修饰水平, 酶联免疫吸附测定(enzyme linked immunosorbent assay, ELISA)实验检测细胞因子IL-2的分泌情况,流式细胞术分析分化抗原簇69(cluster of differentiation 69, CD69)表达水平及荧光素酶报告基因检测NF-κB信号通路.结果显示:T细胞中PDIA3蛋白下调后导致ZAP70蛋白的磷酸化水平、CD69表达和IL-2的分泌都明显降低,并且影响了NF-κB信号通路,表明PDIA3蛋白对T细胞的活化有促进作用,参与T细胞TCR信号通路的调控,为进一步深入研究PDIA3与TCR下游一些功能蛋白的相互作用打下了基础.     

Notch signaling stimulates osteogenic differentiation of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells

Notch signaling is one of the most important pathways mediating cell determination and differentiation.In this study, the roles of Notch signal in the regulation of osteogenic differentiation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) were investigated. The expression of Notch1, Jaggedl and DTXI detected by reverse transcrip-tion polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) suggested that Notch signal might exhibit a physiological regulatory role in the differentiation of MSCs. Constitutive expression of the intracellular domain of Notchl (ICN), the active form of Notchl protein, can activate Notch signal in cells without ligands‘ binding, hMSCs were isolated, expanded, and infected with retrovirus carrying green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene or ICN. Overexpression of ICN in hMSCs resulted in enhanced osteogenic differentiation induced by dexamethasone (Dex), which was characterized by an increase of cellular alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and calcium deposition. These results indicate that Notch stimulates differentiation of MSCs into osteoblasts.     

Expression and purification of bioactive high-purity human midkine in Escherichia coli

Midkine is a heparin-binding growth factor, which plays important roles in the regulation of cell growth and differentiation. The non-tagged recombinant human midkine (rhMK) is therefore required to facilitate its functional studies of this important growth factor. In the present work, rhMK was expressed in Escherichia coli (E. coli) BL21 (DE3). The expression of midkine was efficiently induced by isopropyl-β-D-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG). After sonication, midkine was recovered in an insoluble form, and was dissolved in guanidine hydrochloride buffer. Renaturation of the denatured protein was carried out in the defined protein refolding buffer, and the refolded protein was purified using S-Sepharose ion-exchange chromatography. The final preparation of the rhMK was greater than 98% pure as measured by sodium dodecylsulfate-polyacrylamid gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). The purified rhMK enhanced the proliferation of NIH3T3 cells.     

Immune recognition of a human renal cancer antigen through post-translational protein splicing

Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) detect and destroy cells displaying class I molecules of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) that present oligopeptides derived from aberrant self or foreign proteins. Most class I peptide ligands are created from proteins that are degraded by proteasomes and transported, by the transporter associated with antigen processing, from the cytosol into the endoplasmic reticulum, where peptides bind MHC class I molecules and are conveyed to the cell surface. C2 CTLs, cloned from human CTLs infiltrating a renal cell carcinoma, kill cancer cells overexpressing fibroblast growth factor-5 (FGF-5). Here we show that C2 cells recognize human leukocyte antigen-A3 MHC class I molecules presenting a nine-residue FGF-5 peptide generated by protein splicing. This process, previously described strictly in plants and unicellular organisms, entails post-translational excision of a polypeptide segment followed by ligation of the newly liberated carboxy-terminal and amino-terminal residues. The occurrence of protein splicing in vertebrates has important implications for the complexity of the vertebrate proteome and for the immune recognition of self and foreign peptides.     

Accumulation of a heat shock-like protein during differentiation of human erythroid cell line K562

The human erythroid cell line K562 provides a model system for studying erythroid differentiation and eukaryotic gene regulation. These cells express glycophorin A, spectrin and i antigen. They accumulate embryonic and fetal haemoglobins on induction of erythroid differentiation with haemin, sodium butyrate or hydroxyurea. In the present study, the protein composition of K562 cells during haemin-mediated induction of erythroid maturation was analysed by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Under conditions in which haemin did not effect cell viability and proliferation, a protein of approximately 70,000 molecular weight (MW) accumulated in the differentiated K562 cells. The accumulation appears to be due to an increase in the rate of RNA synthesis for this protein. The protein is related in sequence to a 70,000-MW heat shock protein. An antigenically related protein was also demonstrated in human bone marrow and accumulates at particular stages of human erythroid maturation.     

Characterization of the rough endoplasmic reticulum ribosome-binding activity.

The rough endoplasmic reticulum membranes of mammalian cells contain specific ribosome-binding sites. A purification to apparent homogeneity of a negatively charged protein (ERp180) of relative molecular mass 180,000 (180 K) was reported which was proposed to function as a rough endoplasmic reticulum ribosome receptor. We report here that ribosome-binding site activity quantitatively solubilized from rough endoplasmic reticulum membranes does not cofractionate with ERp180. By contrast, ribosome-binding site activity fractionates as a much smaller, positively charged protein.     

绿色荧光蛋白标记的NTE活性域表达载体的构建及表达

利用含有特定限制性内切酶识别位点的引物,通过聚合酶链式反应扩增出人神经病靶标酯酶活性域的编码序列,经T载体克隆测序正确后,双酶切回收特异片段定向插入到增强型绿色荧光表达载体pEGFP-N3中,通过酶切反应鉴定,构建了绿色荧光蛋白标记的神经病靶标酯酶活性域的融合表达载体pNEST-EGFP.采用脂质体转染的方法将其转染到人神经瘤母瘤细胞SH-SY5Y中,用荧光显微镜观察发现神经病靶标酯酶活性域分布于细胞质中,而且没有导致内质网膜的聚集,表明表达载体成功构建和表达.     

Hedgehog signalling within airway epithelial progenitors and in small-cell lung cancer

Embryonic signalling pathways regulate progenitor cell fates in mammalian epithelial development and cancer. Prompted by the requirement for sonic hedgehog (Shh) signalling in lung development, we investigated a role for this pathway in regeneration and carcinogenesis of airway epithelium. Here we demonstrate extensive activation of the hedgehog (Hh) pathway within the airway epithelium during repair of acute airway injury. This mode of Hh signalling is characterized by the elaboration and reception of the Shh signal within the epithelial compartment, and immediately precedes neuroendocrine differentiation. We reveal a similar pattern of Hh signalling in airway development during normal differentiation of pulmonary neuroendocrine precursor cells, and in a subset of small-cell lung cancer (SCLC), a highly aggressive and frequently lethal human tumour with primitive neuroendocrine features. These tumours maintain their malignant phenotype in vitro and in vivo through ligand-dependent Hh pathway activation. We propose that some types of SCLC might recapitulate a critical, Hh-regulated event in airway epithelial differentiation. This requirement for Hh pathway activation identifies a common lethal malignancy that may respond to pharmacological blockade of the Hh signalling pathway.     

绿色荧光蛋白标记的NTE活性域表达载体的构建及表达 

利用含有特定限制性内切酶识别位点的引物，通过聚合酶链式反应扩增出人神经病靶标酯酶活性域的编码序列，经T载体克隆测序正确后，双酶切回收特异片段定向插入到增强型绿色荧光表达载体pEGFPN3中，通过酶切反应鉴定，构建了绿色荧光蛋白标记的神经病靶标酯酶活性域的融合表达载体pNESTEGFP。采用脂质体转染的方法将其转染到人神经瘤母瘤细胞SHSY5Y中，用荧光显微镜观察发现神经病靶标酯酶活性域分布于细胞质中，而且没有导致内质网膜的聚集，表明表达载体成功构建和表达。     

MAOA 在诱导前列腺癌神经内分泌分化中的作用

摘要:目的 建立神经内分泌性前列腺癌( neuroendocrine prostate cancer,NEPC) 细胞模型和动物模型,探讨单胺氧化酶 A( monoamine oxidase A,MAOA)在前列腺癌神经内分泌分化( neuroendocrine transdifferentiation,NED) 中的作用及机制。 方法 选取人前列腺癌细胞系 C4-2,通过恩杂鲁胺( enzalutamide,ENZ)长期诱导获得 NEPC 细胞模型;通过酶活性实验、Real-time PCR 和 Western blot 技术检测 NED 过程中 MAOA 的水平变化;使用 MAOA 抑制剂氯吉灵( clorgyline,CLG)检测 MAOA 对神经内分泌标志物的影响并探讨其潜在机制;建立前列腺癌异种移植模型,体内实验验证 MAOA 与 NED 之间的相关性。 结果 ENZ 可作为诱导 NEPC 模型的方法;在 ENZ 引起的 NED 过程中,MAOA 的表达和活性增加;抑制 MAOA 的活性可以延缓 NED 的发生,这可能是 MAOA 通过抑制缺氧信号实现的。结论 MAOA 是促进 NED 和维持神经内分泌细胞特性的关键靶点,MAOA 抑制剂 CLG 可以延缓 NEPC 发生,可能作为前列腺癌患者的潜在治疗药物。     

A human retinoic acid receptor which belongs to the family of nuclear receptors

A cDNA encoding a protein that binds retinoic acid with high affinity has been cloned. The protein is homologous to the receptors for steroid hormones, thyroid hormones and vitamin D3, and appears to be a retinoic acid-inducible trans-acting enhancer factor, suggesting that the molecular mechanisms of the effect of retinoids (vitamin A) on embryonic development, differentiation and tumour cell growth are similar to those described for other members of this nuclear receptor family.     

Model for signal sequence recognition from amino-acid sequence of 54K subunit of signal recognition particle

Protein targeting to the endoplasmic reticulum in mammalian cells is catalysed by signal recognition particle (SRP). Cross-linking experiments have shown that the subunit of relative molecular mass 54,000 (Mr 54K; SRP54) interacts directly with signal sequences as they emerge from the ribosome. Here we present the sequence of a complementary DNA clone of SRP54 which predicts a protein that contains a putative GTP-binding domain and an unusually methionine-rich domain. The properties of this latter domain suggest that it contains the signal sequence binding site. A previously uncharacterized Escherichia coli protein has strong homology to both domains. Closely homologous GTP-binding domains are also found in the alpha-subunit of the SRP receptor (SR alpha, docking protein) in the endoplasmic reticulum membrane and in a second E. coli protein, ftsY, which resembles SR alpha. Recent work has shown that SR alpha is a GTP-binding protein and that GTP is required for the release of SRP from the signal sequence and the ribosome on targeting to the endoplasmic reticulum membrane. We propose that SRP54 and SR alpha use GTP in sequential steps of the targeting reaction and that essential features of such a pathway are conserved from bacteria to mammals.     

长角血蜱合神经节分泌活性的超微结构研究

用交配前雌蜱合神经节作对照，通过观察超微结构发现，交配后饱血前长角血蜱合神经节具有较强的分泌活性，表现在核膜孔增大，运输活跃，能量合成的细胞器－线粒体个体变大，数量增多；与合成脂类物质（很可能是保幼激素）有关的细胞器－平滑内质网异常丰富，成簇排列，高尔基体活跃，囊泡普遍出现，显示分泌活性的电子在致密颗粒丰富，细胞持中出现了大量的分泌泡；相应的神经轴突中的运输颗粒数量也增多，这些结果表明长角血蜱合弛     

Glycoproteins form mixed disulphides with oxidoreductases during folding in living cells

The formation of intra- and interchain disulphide bonds constitutes an integral part of the maturation of most secretory and membrane-bound proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum. Evidence indicates that members of the protein disulphide isomerase (PDI) superfamily are part of the machinery needed for proper oxidation and isomerization of disulphide bonds. Models based on in vitro studies predict that the formation of mixed disulphide bonds between oxidoreductase and substrate is intermediate in the generation of the native intrachain disulphide bond in the substrate polypeptide. Whether this is how thiol oxidoreductases work inside the endoplasmic reticulum is not clear. Nor has it been established which of the many members of the PDI superfamily interacts directly with newly synthesized substrate proteins, because transient mixed disulphides have never been observed in the mammalian endoplasmic reticulum during oxidative protein folding. Here we describe the mechanisms involved in co- and post-translational protein oxidation in vivo. We show that the endoplasmic-reticulum-resident oxidoreductases PDI and ERp57 are directly involved in disulphide oxidation and isomerization, and, together with the lectins calnexin and calreticulin, are central in glycoprotein folding in the endoplasmic reticulum of mammalian cells.     

Signal-sequence recognition by an Escherichia coli ribonucleoprotein complex.

Hydrophobic signal-sequences direct the transfer of secretory proteins across the inner membrane of prokaryotes and the endoplasmic reticulum membranes of eukaryotes. In mammalian cells, signal-sequences are recognized by the 54K protein (M(r) 54,000) of the signal recognition particle (SRP) which is believed to hold the nascent chain in a translocation-competent conformation until it contacts the endoplasmic reticulum membrane. The SRP consists of a 7S RNA and six different polypeptides. The 7S RNA and the 54K signal-sequence-binding protein (SRP54) of mammalian SRP exhibit strong sequence similarity to the 4.5S RNA and P48 protein (Ffh) of Escherichia coli which form a ribonucleoprotein particle. Depletion of 4.5S RNA or overproduction of P48 causes the accumulation of the beta-lactamase precursor, although not of other secretory proteins. Whether 4.5S RNA and P48 are part of an SRP-like complex with a role in protein export is controversial. Here we show that the P48/4.5S RNA ribonucleoprotein complex interacts specifically with the signal sequence of a nascent secretory protein and therefore is a signal recognition particle.     

X-ray structure of a bacterial oligosaccharyltransferase

Asparagine-linked glycosylation is a post-translational modification of proteins containing the conserved sequence motif Asn-X-Ser/Thr. The attachment of oligosaccharides is implicated in diverse processes such as protein folding and quality control, organism development or host-pathogen interactions. The reaction is catalysed by oligosaccharyltransferase (OST), a membrane protein complex located in the endoplasmic reticulum. The central, catalytic enzyme of OST is the STT3 subunit, which has homologues in bacteria and archaea. Here we report the X-ray structure of a bacterial OST, the PglB protein of Campylobacter lari, in complex with an acceptor peptide. The structure defines the fold of STT3 proteins and provides insight into glycosylation sequon recognition and amide nitrogen activation, both of which are prerequisites for the formation of the N-glycosidic linkage. We also identified and validated catalytically important, acidic amino acid residues. Our results provide the molecular basis for understanding the mechanism of N-linked glycosylation.