Wnt信号通路与心脏发育和心肌诱导分化

Wnt信号通路是调控心肌细胞分化和心脏发育的重要信号通路.在哺乳动物中,迄今已发现19个分泌性Wnt蛋白,10个Frizzled受体和多个拮抗分子,显示Wnt信号家族效应广泛复杂.Wnt通路大致分为β-catenin依赖的经典通路和β-catenin非依赖的非经典通路,二者均在心脏发育中发挥重要的作用,广泛调控心肌细胞的增殖、分化、黏附、迁移和极化等.研究发现,Wnt信号通路在心肌细胞分化进程中存在明显的阶段特异性效应,呈现典型的双相性作用.通过小分子或转基因等调制Wnt信号通路,可有效提高体外多能干细胞向心肌的诱导分化效率.     

Wnt信号通路在肝纤维化中的作用

肝纤维化是多种慢性肝病进展至肝硬化的中间过程，特征为以胶原蛋白为主的细胞外基质合成与降解失衡，是多条细胞信号转导通路和一系列细胞信号分子网络共同控制的结果。Wnt信号通路包括经典通路和非经典通路，参与调控细胞的分化，癌变，凋亡，机体免疫及应激等生理病理过程。最近有研究表明Wnt信号通路与肝星状细胞的活化及肝纤维化的发生相关。本文就Wnt通路的组成分子，信号转导路径，在肝纤维化发展中的作用做简要综述。     

Wnt信号通路在哺乳动物卵泡发育中的作用

Wnt是一类癌基因。Wnt信号分子家族调控着多个组织脏器的胚胎发育,在动物发育过程中具有广泛的作用。Wnt信号通路作为一种在进化中高度保守的信号通路,在动物生长、发育、代谢和干细胞维持等多种生物学过程中发挥重要作用。     

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.     

CHD5在胚胎干细胞向神经前体细胞分化过程中的功能研究

CHD5蛋白是一种ATP依赖性染色质重塑解旋酶,属于CHD家族.CHD家族成员在胚胎发育及肿瘤发生发展过程中具有重要的作用.前期研究发现CHD5在多种不同类型的肿瘤中发挥抑癌功能,但不清楚CHD5是否影响早期胚胎干细胞分化.本研究发现随着胚胎干细胞向神经前体细胞的分化,CHD5的表达显著上调.干扰CHD5的表达之后对细胞进行向神经前体细胞分化的诱导,发现POU5F1和NANOG等胚胎干细胞标志基因表达上调,Wnt信号通路激活,而PAX6和SOX1等神经前体细胞的标志基因表达得以抑制,表明CHD5在胚胎干细胞向神经前体细胞分化过程中具有重要功能.     

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.     

The mechanism of adipocyte differentiation and regulation of hematopoietic microenvironment

在人体生长发育与衰老过程中骨髓会逐渐由红骨髓转变成为黄骨髓,即骨髓脂肪化,其本质是骨髓中脂肪细胞增多.骨髓脂肪细胞对造血微环境具有负性调节作用,能抑制骨髓造血、抑制造血重建时造血干细胞在骨髓中的植入.深入研究骨髓脂肪化机制对促进某些疾病过程中造血恢复、提高造血干细胞移植效率具有一定意义.脂肪细胞的形成主要包括间充质干细胞向前体脂肪细胞的定向分化及其终末分化两个阶段.本文主要阐述细胞形态变化和细胞外基质通过WNT和RHO-family GTPase信号级联通路调节前体脂肪细胞的定向分化,成脂刺激因素通过PPARγ的表观遗传学途径诱导前体脂肪细胞的终末分化,以及PPARγ和C/EBP的相互作用维持脂肪细胞的基因表达.     

Napabucasin对结直肠癌细胞增殖及迁移的影响

为了探究新型小分子抑制剂Napabucasin对结直肠癌细胞增殖以及迁移的影响. 首先通过分子模拟对接分析了Napabucasin与STAT3蛋白的互作机制. 然后利用克隆形成实验、细胞划痕实验等方法在多种结直肠癌细胞系中证明了Napabucasin能够显著抑制结直肠癌细胞的集落形成能力以及迁移能力. 进而使用Napabucasin与Wnt信号通路激活剂Wnt agonist 1共处理结直肠癌细胞HCT116,结合蛋白质印迹实验发现,Wnt信号通路介导了Napabucasin对结直肠癌细胞的迁移以及增殖的抑制过程. 研究结果显示,Napabucasin能够在体外抑制结直肠癌细胞的增殖能力以及迁移能力,并且Wnt信号通路参与介导了这一抑制过程.     

Wnt通路中β-catenin在恶性肿瘤中的异常表达

在肿瘤生物学的研究中,Wnt信号通路具有举足轻重的作用.Wnt家族基因编码一组糖蛋白信号分子,这些糖蛋白分子激活的信号通路在人类不同肿瘤中的作用是相互交织的.Wnt信号通路有三种模式,而经典的信号通路与癌症的发生有着十分密切的联系,β-catenin是Wnt经典信号通路正向调节重要效应物,其在胞质内降解及在核内积累可激活一系列靶基因的转录导致肿瘤的发生.了解这条通路在肿瘤发生过程中具体的分子机制有助于为临床诊断提供依据,为早期干预治疗提供方法.     

人E-钙粘素融合蛋白基质激活脐带间充质干细胞EGF受体及其功能的研究

上皮细胞钙粘素(E-cadherin)介导细胞间粘附连接,通过多级信号转导调控细胞粘附、增殖、迁移等多种细胞行为.本实验室前期研究中成功构建了基于E-cadherin胞外域的E-cad-Fc融合蛋白作为人间充质干细胞(hMSCs)的培养基质,其能够激活上皮细胞生长因子受体(Epidermal growth factor receptor,EGFR)信号通路,促进hMSCs增殖,但目前为止尚不明确E-cad-Fc基质能否替代EGF在hMSCs培养过程中发挥特异性功能.因此,本研究首先利用基因芯片技术分析了E-cad-Fc对EGF相关信号通路的影响,并筛选出显著差异表达的基因.利用western blot评价了E-cad-Fc和EGF在短时间内对hMSCs中EGFR的激活,并初步评价了两者对hMSCs定向诱导分化的影响.研究结果表明,E-cad-Fc基质可替代EGF持续性激活EGFR的磷酸化,并在定向诱导分化过程中促进hMSCs的转胚层进程.该研究为探讨钙粘素基质对hMSCs细胞行为的调控作用及其信号转导机制奠定了基础.     

粉红丝带引发的思考——Wnt信号通路在乳腺发育与乳腺癌变中的角色

 Wnt信号转导通路是参与乳腺发育和肿瘤形成的重要机制。本文综述了Wnt信号转导通路调控乳腺发育和干细胞稳态研究的进展,讨论了Wnt信号转导中成员分子在乳腺癌形成中的角色。     

Wnt signalling regulates adult hippocampal neurogenesis

The generation of new neurons from neural stem cells is restricted to two regions of the adult mammalian central nervous system: the subventricular zone of the lateral ventricle, and the subgranular zone of the hippocampal dentate gyrus. In both regions, signals provided by the microenvironment regulate the maintenance, proliferation and neuronal fate commitment of the local stem cell population. The identity of these signals is largely unknown. Here we show that adult hippocampal stem/progenitor cells (AHPs) express receptors and signalling components for Wnt proteins, which are key regulators of neural stem cell behaviour in embryonic development. We also show that the Wnt/beta-catenin pathway is active and that Wnt3 is expressed in the hippocampal neurogenic niche. Overexpression of Wnt3 is sufficient to increase neurogenesis from AHPs in vitro and in vivo. By contrast, blockade of Wnt signalling reduces neurogenesis from AHPs in vitro and abolishes neurogenesis almost completely in vivo. Our data show that Wnt signalling is a principal regulator of adult hippocampal neurogenesis and provide evidence that Wnt proteins have a role in adult hippocampal function.     

Wnt signalling in stem cells and cancer

The canonical Wnt cascade has emerged as a critical regulator of stem cells. In many tissues, activation of Wnt signalling has also been associated with cancer. This has raised the possibility that the tightly regulated self-renewal mediated by Wnt signalling in stem and progenitor cells is subverted in cancer cells to allow malignant proliferation. Insights gained from understanding how the Wnt pathway is integrally involved in both stem cell and cancer cell maintenance and growth in the intestinal, epidermal and haematopoietic systems may serve as a paradigm for understanding the dual nature of self-renewal signals.     

氨甲环酸与Wnt信号通路中含kringle结构域蛋白的结合对新生小鼠骨密度的影响

最近研究发现Wnt信号通路在骨形成过程中发挥重要作用Wnt受体如脂蛋白相关蛋白5（lrp5）和孤独受体（Ror2）的缺失或突变导致骨的不正常发育．Dkk是一个分泌型规范Wnt信号系统的抑制剂，通过与脂蛋白相关蛋白5和最近新发现的一种含kringle结构域的蛋白kremen形成三聚体复合物．这种复合物随即被细胞内吞，从而导致细胞表面Wnt受体脂蛋白相关蛋白5水平迅速下降，从而达到抑制Wnt信号通路的日地．通过对kremen和Ror2蛋白序列分析发现kremen和Ror2的胞外部分均含有一个结构上能与赖氨酸结合的kringle结构域．通过给怀孕母鼠注射一种赖氨酸类似物——氨甲环酸来研究kremen和Ror2的kringle结构域上的赖氨酸结合位点被占据对小鼠骨发育的作用．但是，研究结果表明AMCA组和对照组之间的骨密度并没有显著差异，揭示赖氨酸结合位点不参与骨的发育调控．     

靶向Wnt/β-catenin信号通路抑制剂研究进展

Wnt/β-catenin信号通路高度复杂,与Notch通路、Hedgehog通路等都有密切联系,参与机体胚胎发育、调控生物体细胞增殖、代谢等多个方面.研究发现,该信号通路的异常激活与肿瘤密切相关.据汤森路透数据库统计发现,截至2014-04-24,共报道Wnt信号通路抑制剂228个,主要分为受体抑制剂和胞内小分子抑制剂等.本文综述了Wnt/β-catenin信号通路抑制剂及其调控机制,旨在为肿瘤预防与治疗提供新素材.     

Wnt/β-catenin信号途径在DDR和氧化应激中的作用

Wnt/β-catenin信号途径在调控基因表达与DNA损伤反应(DNA damage response,DDR)中具有重要作用.氧化应激是导致DNA损伤的主要原因,且可以影响Wnt信号.首先总结了Wnt/β-catenin信号途径和DDR,然后综述了Wnt/β-catenin信号途径在DDR和氧化应激中的作用及分子机制,以期为DNA修复缺陷性肿瘤提供更有效的治疗策略.     

Wnt-dependent de novo hair follicle regeneration in adult mouse skin after wounding

The mammalian hair follicle is a complex 'mini-organ' thought to form only during development; loss of an adult follicle is considered permanent. However, the possibility that hair follicles develop de novo following wounding was raised in studies on rabbits, mice and even humans fifty years ago. Subsequently, these observations were generally discounted because definitive evidence for follicular neogenesis was not presented. Here we show that, after wounding, hair follicles form de novo in genetically normal adult mice. The regenerated hair follicles establish a stem cell population, express known molecular markers of follicle differentiation, produce a hair shaft and progress through all stages of the hair follicle cycle. Lineage analysis demonstrated that the nascent follicles arise from epithelial cells outside of the hair follicle stem cell niche, suggesting that epidermal cells in the wound assume a hair follicle stem cell phenotype. Inhibition of Wnt signalling after re-epithelialization completely abrogates this wounding-induced folliculogenesis, whereas overexpression of Wnt ligand in the epidermis increases the number of regenerated hair follicles. These remarkable regenerative capabilities of the adult support the notion that wounding induces an embryonic phenotype in skin, and that this provides a window for manipulation of hair follicle neogenesis by Wnt proteins. These findings suggest treatments for wounds, hair loss and other degenerative skin disorders.     

A role for Wnt signalling in self-renewal of haematopoietic stem cells

Haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) have the ability to renew themselves and to give rise to all lineages of the blood; however, the signals that regulate HSC self-renewal remain unclear. Here we show that the Wnt signalling pathway has an important role in this process. Overexpression of activated beta-catenin expands the pool of HSCs in long-term cultures by both phenotype and function. Furthermore, HSCs in their normal microenvironment activate a LEF-1/TCF reporter, which indicates that HCSs respond to Wnt signalling in vivo. To demonstrate the physiological significance of this pathway for HSC proliferation we show that the ectopic expression of axin or a frizzled ligand-binding domain, inhibitors of the Wnt signalling pathway, leads to inhibition of HSC growth in vitro and reduced reconstitution in vivo. Furthermore, activation of Wnt signalling in HSCs induces increased expression of HoxB4 and Notch1, genes previously implicated in self-renewal of HSCs. We conclude that the Wnt signalling pathway is critical for normal HSC homeostasis in vitro and in vivo, and provide insight into a potential molecular hierarchy of regulation of HSC development.