Calpain的激活与鱼藤酮导致的细胞凋亡

在缺氧或呼吸链抑制剂存在条件下,细胞的呼吸链受到抑制,线粒体的功能受到直接干扰,细胞色素C通过线粒体的外膜特异性通道进入细胞浆内,启动了procaspase-3等一系列凋亡因子,细胞发生与线粒体相关的凋亡。另一方面,因线粒体的功能被抑制,细胞内的钙离子浓度升高,calpain被激活并裂解细胞膜蛋白及细胞内的生物化学分子,促进了细胞凋亡的发生。鱼藤酮作为线粒体呼吸链complexI的抑制剂可导致细胞凋亡,其凋亡途径不仅与caspase介导的机制有关,还有可能与calpain有关。     

Apoptosis Induced by High Concentrations of Nicotinamide in Tobacco Suspension Cells

As an inhibitor of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), nicotinamide has a restraining effect on apoptosis at certain low concentrations. In our present study, apoptosis induced by high concentrations of nicotinamide was observed in tobacco suspension cells. When cells were preincubated with 250 mmol/L nicotinamide for 24 h, the hallmarks of apoptosis were detected, including DNA fragments increasing in size by multiples of 180-200 bp，the condensation and peripheral distribution of nuclear chromatin, and a positive reaction to the TUNEL assay. At the same time, the degradation of PARP and the reduction in the potential of the inner membrane of mitochondria appeared in apoptotic cells induced by high concentrations of nicotinamide. This result indicates that apoptosis induced by high concentrations of nicotinamide is associated with caspase-3-1ike activity and with the opening of mitochondrial permeability pores. These results partially support the hypothesis that high concentrations of PARP inhibitor could force cells to enter an apoptotic pathway by delay of DNA repair in replicating cells.     

Apoptosis initiated by Bcl-2-regulated caspase activation independently of the cytochrome c/Apaf-1/caspase-9 apoptosome

Apoptosis is an evolutionarily conserved cell suicide process executed by cysteine proteases (caspases) and regulated by the opposing factions of the Bcl-2 protein family. Mammalian caspase-9 and its activator Apaf-1 were thought to be essential, because mice lacking either of them display neuronal hyperplasia and their lymphocytes and fibroblasts seem resistant to certain apoptotic stimuli. Because Apaf-1 requires cytochrome c to activate caspase-9, and Bcl-2 prevents mitochondrial cytochrome c release, Bcl-2 is widely believed to inhibit apoptosis by safeguarding mitochondrial membrane integrity. Our results suggest a different, broader role, because Bcl-2 overexpression increased lymphocyte numbers in mice and inhibited many apoptotic stimuli, but the absence of Apaf-1 or caspase-9 did not. Caspase activity was still discernible in cells lacking Apaf-1 or caspase-9, and a potent caspase antagonist both inhibited apoptosis and retarded cytochrome c release. We conclude that Bcl-2 regulates a caspase activation programme independently of the cytochrome c/Apaf-1/caspase-9 'apoptosome', which seems to amplify rather than initiate the caspase cascade.     

芪参补气药茶保护线粒体及其机制

以黄芪和党参为原料组方制成芪参补气药茶(ACT),探索ACT对线粒体的保护作用及其机制。分别用AlCl₃比色法和硫酸苯酚法测定ACT的功能因子总黄酮、总糖及总多糖含量。用Ca²⁺诱导肝线粒体通透性转换(MPT),分光光度法测MPT程度;以Fe²⁺/维生素C诱发肝线粒体脂质过氧化,采用硫代巴比妥酸显色法测定丙二醛(MDA)含量;测定ACT对Fe²⁺螯合能力及还原力的影响。实验测得ACT总糖含量为(26 ± 1.3)mg·mL^-1,总多糖含量为(12.5 ± 0.8)mg·mL^-1,总黄酮含量为(121 ± 8.5)μg·mL^-1。结果表明:ACT可抑制Ca²⁺引起的MPT,可一定程度上抑制线粒体MDA生成,具有较弱的Fe²⁺螯合能力及一定的还原力。能通过温和的抗氧化和清除活性氧作用,一定的还原力及抑制MPT来保护线粒体,从而维持机体氧化与抗氧化平衡,促进机体健康。     

白藜芦醇上调GDF-15调控PI3K/Akt/Bcl-2信号通路对急性心肌梗死大鼠的保护作用

为考察白藜芦醇对心肌缺血的保护机制,采用冠状动脉前降支结扎再灌注制备大鼠心肌缺血再灌注(I/R)模型,运用试剂盒考察血清酶学指标、NBT染色考察心肌梗死率、蛋白质印迹法(Western blotting) 考察GDF-15、PI3K、Akt、p-Akt、Bcl-2、Bax、caspase-9和caspase-3的蛋白相对表达量。结果表明:白藜芦醇对心肌缺血再灌注大鼠的心肌保护作用与通过对GDF-15的上调来激活PI3K/Akt信号通路,抑制心肌细胞线粒体凋亡作用机制有关。     

Minocycline inhibits cytochrome c release and delays progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in mice

Minocycline mediates neuroprotection in experimental models of neurodegeneration. It inhibits the activity of caspase-1, caspase-3, inducible form of nitric oxide synthetase (iNOS) and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). Although minocycline does not directly inhibit these enzymes, the effects may result from interference with upstream mechanisms resulting in their secondary activation. Because the above-mentioned factors are important in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), we tested minocycline in mice with ALS. Here we report that minocycline delays disease onset and extends survival in ALS mice. Given the broad efficacy of minocycline, understanding its mechanisms of action is of great importance. We find that minocycline inhibits mitochondrial permeability-transition-mediated cytochrome c release. Minocycline-mediated inhibition of cytochrome c release is demonstrated in vivo, in cells, and in isolated mitochondria. Understanding the mechanism of action of minocycline will assist in the development and testing of more powerful and effective analogues. Because of the safety record of minocycline, and its ability to penetrate the blood-brain barrier, this drug may be a novel therapy for ALS.     

SIOC-AA-005的抗肿瘤作用机制研究

探讨SIOC-AA-005抗肿瘤的作用机制.采用测定HT-29 细胞线粒体膜流动性、线粒体ATP含量、线粒体ATP酶活性及NADH-CoQ氧化还原酶活性、细胞质膜NADH氧化酶活性的方法,对其作用机制进行了深入探讨;SIOC-AA-005在10 nmol/L剂量下可明显降低线粒体膜的流动性,并使线粒体膜电位显著升高;在此浓度下,SIOC-AA-005还可使HT-29细胞内的ATP耗竭,ATP酶活性受到抑制,线粒体中能量产生过程受阻.在胞外反应体系中,SIOC-AA-005对NADH-CoQ氧化还原酶有强烈的抑制作用,对细胞质膜NADH氧化酶也具有较强的抑制作用.SIOC-AA-005可能是通过抑制线粒体NADH-CoQ氧化还原酶、抑制细胞质膜NADH氧化酶以及线粒体ATP酶活性,从而使线粒体膜流动性下降,膜电位升高,细胞内ATP耗竭,最终使肿瘤细胞死亡。     

Caspase-12 mediates endoplasmic-reticulum-specific apoptosis and cytotoxicity by amyloid-beta

Apoptosis, or cellular suicide, is important for normal development and tissue homeostasis, but too much or too little apoptosis can also cause disease. The family of cysteine proteases, the so- called caspases, are critical mediators of programmed cell death, and thus far 14 family members have been identified. Some of these, such as caspase-8, mediate signal transduction downstream of death receptors located on the plasma membrane. Others, such as caspase-9, mediate apoptotic signals after mitochondrial damage. Stress in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) can also result in apoptosis. Here we show that caspase-12 is localized to the ER and activated by ER stress, including disruption of ER calcium homeostasis and accumulation of excess proteins in ER, but not by membrane- or mitochondrial-targeted apoptotic signals. Mice that are deficient in caspase-12 are resistant to ER stress-induced apoptosis, but their cells undergo apoptosis in response to other death stimuli. Furthermore, we show that caspase-12-deficient cortical neurons are defective in apoptosis induced by amyloid-beta protein but not by staurosporine or trophic factor deprivation. Thus, caspase-12 mediates an ER-specific apoptosis pathway and may contribute to amyloid-beta neurotoxicity.     

Mitochondrial functions on oocytes and preimplantation embryos

Oocyte quality has long been considered as a main limiting factor for in vitro fertilization (IVF). In the past decade, extensive observations demonstrated that the mitochondrion plays a vital role in the oocyte cytoplasm, for it can provide adenosine triphosphate (ATP) for fertilization and preimplantation embryo development and also act as stores of intracellular calcium and proapoptotic factors. During the oocyte maturation, mitochondria are characterized by distinct changes of their distribution pattern from being homogeneous to heterogeneous, which is correlated with the cumulus apoptosis. Oocyte quality decreases with the increasing maternal age. Recent studies have shown that low quality oocytes have some age-related dysfunctions, which include the decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential, increase of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) damages, chromosomal aneuploidies, the incidence of apoptosis, and changes in mitochondrial gene expression. All these dysfunctions may cause a high level of developmental retardation and arrest of preimplantation embryos. It has been suggested that these mitochondrial changes may arise from excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) that is closely associated with the oxidative energy production or calcium overload, which may trigger permeability transition pore opening and subsequent apoptosis. Therefore, mitochondria can be seen as signs for oocyte quality evaluation, and it is possible that the oocyte quality can be improved by enhancing the physical function of mitochondria. Here we reviewed recent advances in mitochondrial functions on oocytes.     

Role of Bax and Bak in mitochondrial morphogenesis

Bcl-2 family proteins are potent regulators of programmed cell death. Although their intracellular localization to mitochondria and the endoplasmic reticulum has focused research on these organelles, how they function remains unknown. Two members of the Bcl-2 family, Bax and Bak, change intracellular location early in the promotion of apoptosis to concentrate in focal clusters at sites of mitochondrial division. Here we report that in healthy cells Bax or Bak is required for normal fusion of mitochondria into elongated tubules. Bax seems to induce mitochondrial fusion by activating assembly of the large GTPase Mfn2 and changing its submitochondrial distribution and membrane mobility-properties that correlate with different GTP-bound states of Mfn2. Our results show that Bax and Bak regulate mitochondrial dynamics in healthy cells and indicate that Bcl-2 family members may also regulate apoptosis through organelle morphogenesis machineries.     

DBP对大鼠睾丸支持细胞内Ca2+、线粒体膜电位及Caspase活性的影响

目的通过测定DBP对大鼠睾丸支持细胞内Ca2+、线粒体膜电位及Caspase活性的影响,探讨DBP是否通过影响线粒体膜电位而引起支持细胞凋亡.方法建立支持细胞原代培养体系,将细胞分为0.1%DMSO(对照组)、1 mg/L(低剂量组)、10 mg/L(中剂量组)、100 mg/L(高剂量组),分别处理细胞24 h;荧光分光光度计测定支持细胞内Ca2+的浓度,流式细胞仪检测线粒体膜电位,酶标仪测定Caspase-9和Caspase-3的活性.结果与对照组相比,高剂量组中Ca2+浓度明显升高,差异具有统计学意义(P0.05),而低、中剂量组与对照组比较无统计学意义(P0.05).DBP导致的线粒体膜电位升高在中、高剂量组中具有统计学意义(P0.05),随着DBP浓度的增加,Caspase-9与Caspase-3的活性升高,差异均具有统计学意义(P0.05).结论 DBP能显著降低支持细胞线粒体膜电位,改变线粒体膜的通透性,进一步升高Caspase-9及Caspase-3的活性,并最终导致睾丸支持细胞凋亡.     

白藜芦醇诱导HepG2细胞凋亡中线粒体差异蛋白鉴定

为研究线粒体在白藜芦醇诱导人肝癌细胞系HepG2细胞凋亡中的作用机制。分离提取白藜芦醇处理的HepG2细胞及对照组细胞的线粒体蛋白质,双向电泳分离差异蛋白质,飞行时间质谱鉴定差异蛋白点,摸索并建立了一种有效分离提取细胞线粒体蛋白质和双向电泳的方法。初步分析鉴定了四个显著性差异蛋白,着丝粒蛋白Kinesin protein和CENP-E降低,证明白藜芦醇对细胞周期及细胞骨架的调节作用,Peptidase (mitochondrial processing)表达降低,线粒体核糖体蛋白L7/L12（Mitochondrial ribosomal protein L7/L12, MRP L7/L12）表达升高,表明白藜芦醇诱导HepG2细胞与其对线粒体功能的影响有关。     

Bid BH3 peptide, but not its mutant form G94E, induces permeability transition pore opening and cytochrome c release in vitro

It has been shown that Bid and its truncated form tBid could induce cytochrome c (cyt c) release without impacting on PTP. We first show that Bid BH3 peptide, but not its mutant form of Bid BH3 peptide G94E, which is unable to bind to Bcl-xL, induces permeability transition pore (PTP) opening in a dose dependent manner. Bid BH3 peptide also induces the reduction of mitochondria membrane potential (ψm) and cyt c release from mitochondrial in vitro.PTP opening and the loss of ψm were inhibited by Bcl-xL,cyclosporin A and ruthenium red, and the latter was an inhibitor of Ca2+ uniporter in the mitochondrial membrane.These results indicate that Bid BH3 peptide could antagonize Bcl-xL to induced PTP opening and mitochondrial dysfunction.     

Bcl-2 family proteins regulate the release of apoptogenic cytochrome c by the mitochondrial channel VDAC.

During transduction of an apoptotic (death) signal into the cell, there is an alteration in the permeability of the membranes of the cell's mitochondria, which causes the translocation of the apoptogenic protein cytochrome c into the cytoplasm, which in turn activates death-driving proteolytic proteins known as caspases. The Bcl-2 family of proteins, whose members may be anti-apoptotic or pro-apoptotic, regulates cell death by controlling this mitochondrial membrane permeability during apoptosis, but how that is achieved is unclear. Here we create liposomes that carry the mitochondrial porin channel (also called the voltage-dependent anion channel, or VDAC) to show that the recombinant pro-apoptotic proteins Bax and Bak accelerate the opening of VDAC, whereas the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-x(L) closes VDAC by binding to it directly. Bax and Bak allow cytochrome c to pass through VDAC out of liposomes, but passage is prevented by Bcl-x(L). In agreement with this, VDAC1-deficient mitochondria from a mutant yeast did not exhibit a Bax/Bak-induced loss in membrane potential and cytochrome c release, both of which were inhibited by Bcl-x(L). Our results indicate that the Bcl-2 family of proteins bind to the VDAC in order to regulate the mitochondrial membrane potential and the release of cytochrome c during apoptosis.     

新型姜黄素结构衍生物抗肝癌细胞增殖作用的研究

采用MTT法对姜黄素结构衍生物（CCM系列化合物）进行抗人肝癌细胞Bel-7402和SMMC-7721活性筛选;利用流式细胞技术和荧光显微镜检测SMMC-7721细胞凋亡及周期分布;采用Western-Blot方法检测SMMC-7721中蛋白caspase-3和剪切后p17的表达.结果表明,化合物CCM-5和CCM-14抗肿瘤活性较好,其对SMMC-7721细胞的凋亡作用呈剂量依赖性,且凋亡率与阴性对照组相比有显著差异（P<0.01）;化合物浓度增高时,G0/G1期细胞减少,S期以及G2/M期细胞增加,凋亡峰SubG1峰增大;两个化合物均可增强caspase-3的表达,随着浓度的提高,caspase-3的表达趋势减弱,而剪切形式p17亚基表达量逐渐提高.因此,姜黄素结构衍生物CCM-5和CCM-14能抑制人肝癌细胞SMMC-7721细胞的增殖,促进凋亡,其作用机制可能与化合物诱导caspase-3活性的增强有关.     

线粒体膜间隙蛋白质释放与细胞凋亡研究进展

近年来,国内外有关线粒体和肿瘤的关系研究的越来越多,开发与线粒体相关的新型药物并诱导肿瘤细胞凋亡逐渐成为热点.该文主要综述了近年来关于几种线粒体膜间隙蛋白质在细胞凋亡中的作用和由线粒体中释放的可能机制及其在肿瘤药物治疗中的最新进展,指出线粒体膜间隙蛋白质在诱导肿瘤细胞凋亡中具有重要作用.     

GRIM-19基因对前列腺癌DU145细胞的促凋亡作用

目的探讨GRIM-19基因对前列腺癌DU145细胞的促凋亡作用,并分析相关机制.方法将构建成功的pGRIM-19重组质粒转染DU145细胞株,应用MTT法检测其对细胞增殖能力的影响,通过流式细胞术检测细胞周期及凋亡率,应用半定量RT-PCR检测GRIM-19及caspase-3 mRNA转录水平.结果流式细胞术结果显示:与对照组比较,pGRIM-19重组质粒明显抑制DU145细胞增殖,并使细胞周期发生改变,多数细胞抑制在G0/G1期,细胞凋亡率增加明显;通过RT-PCR电泳结果证实:pGRIM-19重组质粒明显促进GRIM-19的表达,同时激活caspase-3.结论重组质粒pGRIM-19可明显抑制DU145细胞增殖,并促进其凋亡,其凋亡的发生机制与激活caspase-3有关.     

线粒体外膜通道蛋白VDAC与靶向肿瘤细胞凋亡

VDAC(Voltage-dependent anion channel)是位于线粒体外膜上的一种主要通道蛋白,参与线粒体内外物质和能量的运输,在线粒体与细胞其它部位的通讯中起重要调节作用.近年来研究发现,VDAC也是线粒体与其它蛋白质相互作用的功能结合位点,可与多种凋亡调节蛋白(如HK-Ⅰ/Ⅱ、Bcl-2家族蛋白、tubulin、MAP2/4等)以及非蛋白调节因子相互作用,参与调控细胞凋亡.因此,VDAC成为线粒体凋亡通路中一种关键的靶蛋白.本文对近年来VDAC在肿瘤细胞凋亡中的作用机制进行简要综述.     

Mitochondrial endonuclease G is important for apoptosis in C. elegans.

Programmed cell death (apoptosis) is a tightly regulated process of cell disassembly in which dying cells and their nuclei shrink and fragment and the chromosomal DNA is degraded into internucleosomal repeats. Here we report the characterization of the cps-6 gene, which appears to function downstream of, or in parallel to, the cell-death protease CED-3 of Caenorhabditis elegans in the DNA degradation process during apoptosis. cps-6 encodes a homologue of human mitochondrial endonuclease G, and its protein product similarly localizes to mitochondria in C. elegans. Reduction of cps-6 activity caused by a genetic mutation or RNA-mediated interference (RNAi) affects normal DNA degradation, as revealed by increased staining in a TUNEL assay, and results in delayed appearance of cell corpses during development in C. elegans. This observation provides in vivo evidence that the DNA degradation process is important for proper progression of apoptosis. CPS-6 is the first mitochondrial protein identified to be involved in programmed cell death in C. elegans, underscoring the conserved and important role of mitochondria in the execution of apoptosis.     

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.