Expression of active human clotting factor IX from recombinant DNA clones in mammalian cells

Haemophilia B, or Christmas disease, is an inherited X-chromosome-linked bleeding disorder caused by a defect in clotting factor IX and occurs in about 1 in 30,000 males in the United Kingdom. Injection of factor IX concentrate obtained from blood donors allows most patients to be successfully managed. However, because of impurities in the factor IX concentrate presently in use, this treatment involves some risk of infection by blood-borne viruses such as non-A, non-B hepatitis and the virus causing acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). Because of the recent concern about the increasing incidence of AIDS amongst haemophiliacs, a factor IX preparation derived from a source other than blood is desirable. Here, we report that after introduction of human factor IX DNA clones into a rat hepatoma cell line using recombinant DNA methods, we were able to isolate small amounts of biologically active human factor IX.     

Efficient expression of human factor Ⅸ cDNA in liver mediated by hydrodynamics-based plasmid administration

Hydrodynamics-based administration via tail vein was used to deliver naked plasmid with human factor IX (hFIX) cDNA in 2.2 mL Ringer‘s solution into mice within 7 s. The peak level of expression of hFIX was 2921 ng/mL in mouse plasma. The hFIX cDNA expression increased with increasing the amount of plasmid DNA injected. The peak level of gene expression declined after repeated injection of plasmid (1459 ng/mL). The hFIX cDNA was detected in various organs, but the highest level of gene expression appeared in liver. Transaminase levels and liver histologicalresults showed that rapid intravenous plasmid injection into mice induced transient focal acute liver damage, which was rapidly repaired within 3--10 d. These results suggested that high-level expression of hFIX cDNA can be achieved by hydrodynamics-based plasmid transfer and this method is nowfurther used for gene therapy and gene function study in our lab.     

Active gamma-carboxylated human factor IX expressed using recombinant DNA techniques

Factor IX (Christmas factor), a vitamin K-dependent plasma protein made in the liver, functions in the middle phase of the intrinsic pathway of blood coagulation. A functional deficiency of factor IX underlies haemophilia B, a chromosome X-linked recessive disease for which the major therapeutic approach is replacement treatment using factor IX concentrates. The cloning and characterization of the gene for human factor IX would mean that human factor IX could be produced in greater yield and purity through using recombinant DNA techniques. We have now used a human factor IX cDNA clone, inserted into a vaccinia virus-derived vector, to infect human hepatoma cells which normally produce no factor IX, and mouse fibroblasts. Fully active factor IX was produced by the hepatoma cells, whereas the fibroblasts produced a protein less active than natural factor IX, even in the presence of high levels of vitamin K. Human factor IX is extensively post-translationally modified, and thus represents probably the most complex protein produced in active form by recombinant DNA techniques to date. Our study also illustrates the potential of vaccinia virus-based vectors for expressing significant amounts of complex, clinically useful proteins in eukaryotic cells, in addition to its already demonstrated usefulness for producing live recombinant vaccines.     

双抗体夹心ELISA法测定人凝血因子IX蛋白

用双抗体夹心ELISA法测定人凝血因子IX蛋白。在转入了外源人凝血因子IX基因的CHO细胞和HSF细胞的培养液中均测得一定量的IX因子蛋白,其量相当于正常人血浆IX因子蛋白的0.89%～3.81%,而对照细胞均为阴性结果。对一例血友病B患者(IX:C<0.1%)的分析结果表明,其血浆中含有的IX因子蛋白量相当于正常人的52.3%,因而将此病例归属于血友病B~R型。本法灵敏度高、特异性强、重复性好,可与一期法相互补充,应用于临床血友病B的诊断、分类、家系分析及携带者的检出。     

Preparation of a recombinant adeno-associated viral vector with a mutation of human factor Ⅸ in large scale and its expression in vitro and in vivo

A series of adeno-associated viral vectors containing a mutation of human factor Ⅸ (hFⅨR338A) with different regulation elements were constructed and used to transduce cell lines. The plasmids and the stable transduction cell clones with high expression level of hFⅨR338A were obtained by selecting and optimizing, and then, the recombinant adeno-associated viral vector with hFⅨR338A was prepared via novel rHSV/AAV hybrid virus packaging system on a large scale, which contained the capsid protein genes. A method for producing rAAV-hFⅨR338A viral stocks on a large scale and higher titer was established, which can be used for industrial purpose. The titer of rAAV-hFⅨR338A was more than 1.25×10¹² particle/mL, and then, a mammalian cell line, C2C12 and the factor Ⅸ knock-out mice were transfected with the rAAV-hFⅨR338A in vitro and in vivo. The results show that the high-level expression of rAAV-hFⅨR338A was achieved in cell line and hemophilia B mice. It reached at (2551.32±92.14) ng·(10⁶ cells)^-1·(24 h)^-1 in C2C12 cell in vitro and had a peak concentration of 463.28 ng/mL in mice treated with rAAV-hFⅨR338A, which was as high as the expression of rAAV-hFⅨ-wt (2565.76±64.36) ng·(10⁶ cells)^-1·(24 h)^-1 in C2C12 and 453.92 ng/mL in the mice treated with rAAV-hFⅨ-wt) in vitro and in vivo, there is no any difference between two groups, but the clotting activity of hFⅨR338A is about 2.46 times higher than that of hFⅨ-wt. It was first reported that a mutation of human factor Ⅸ was used into gene therapy research for hemophilia B, meanwhile, a novel packaging system, rAAV/HSV was used for preparation of rAAV-hFⅨR338A on a large scale, which laid the foundation of industrial production for applying rAAV viral stocks to gene therapy clinical trial for hemophilia B mediated with rAAV-hFⅨ.     

CpG DNA enhances the immune responses elicited by the DNA vaccine against foot-and-mouth disease virus in guinea pigs

CpG DNA is DNA sequence that has immune stimulatory effects. Several lines of investigation over the past few years indicate that CpG DNA plays an important role in the induction of immune responses to DNA vaccines. In this study, CpG DNA-containing synthetic oligodeoxynucleotide (CpG-ODN) was cloned into the eukaryotic expression plasmid encoding a fusion protein containing b- galactosidase from E. coli and immunogenic epitopes of foot- and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) type O, and the immune responses induced by the plasmid were assayed. The results showed that guinea pigs immunized with the recombinant plasmid containing CpG-ODN generated a higher level of FMDV-neutralizing antibody and a stronger T cell proliferative response and protection against viral challenge than those receiving the plasmid containing no CpG-ODN. Our study demonstrated that it is an effective route to enhance the efficacy of DNA vaccines by inserting exogenous CpG DNA into the plasmids, and the DNA vaccine developed here is a promising candidate to prevent FMDV infection.     

Haemophilia B caused by a point mutation in a donor splice junction of the human factor IX gene

Haemophilia B (Christmas disease) is an inherited, recessive, sex-linked, haemorrhagic condition caused by a defect in the intrinsic clotting factor IX. This disease occurs in males at a frequency of approximately 1 in 30,000. Patients differ in the severity of their clinical symptoms, and variation in the clotting activity and in the concentration of factor IX antigen in their plasma has been demonstrated. There is probably heterogeneity in the molecular defects of the factor IX gene causing the disease. Here we study a severely affected, antigen-negative patient, and show that the only significant sequence difference from the normal factor IX gene is a point mutation changing the obligatory GT to a TT within the donor splice junction of exon f. We infer that this change is the cause of the disease in this individual. In addition, we have used oligodeoxynucleotide probes specific for this mutation to demonstrate the feasibility of carrier detection and prenatal diagnosis for relatives of the patient.     

Lack of evidence for involvement of known human retroviruses in multiple sclerosis

The recent report by Koprowski et al. that human T-cell lymphotropic retroviruses (HTLVs) may be involved in the development of multiple sclerosis (MS) has aroused much interest. The report was based largely on immunological evidence, using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) with viral antigens or disrupted virions. We have accordingly sought confirmation by screening sera and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from MS patients against cell lines infected respectively with adult T-cell leukaemia (ATL) virus (ATLV/HTLV-I) of Japanese cells (MT-1 and MT-2 lines), our own isolate from British black patients with ATL, the MoT cell line which produce HTLV-II, and our own T-cell line containing a local isolate of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) virus (C-LAV/HTLV-III). We have failed to find antibodies against these retroviruses in the sera or CSF. Furthermore, neither virus could be isolated from the peripheral white blood cells of two MS patients.     

Preparation of rAAV/hFⅨ by HSV/AAV hybrid helper virusand evaluation of its safety

Hemophilia B is a hemorrhagic disease resulting from Factor Ⅸ gene (hFⅨ) mutation as an X-linked recessive inherited trait. The incidence of this disease is 1 in 30000. Clinical treatments depend mainly upon blood transfusions or administration of prothrombin complex so that patients are at the risk of infections with the HIV and hepatitis viruses. Gene therapy offers an attractive alternative in the treatment of hemophilia B by eliminating those risks. In 1991, our lab conducted clinica…     

Effect of P15INK4b/MTS2 on the proliferation of human hepatoma cells SMMC-7721

The full length cDNA coding for P15 INK4b, which is a cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor, was cloned to plasmid PXJ41-neo (Eco RⅠ/XhoⅠ site) and the new constructed plasmid pXJp15 was obtained. pXJp15 was transferred into the human hepatoma SMMC-7721 cells by lipofectine reagent. After G418 selection, a series of cell lines stably expressing high levels of P15 (named SHT) and the clone containing vector PXJ41-neo only (named SVXJ) were obtained by Northern and Western analysis. The results showed that the proliferation of SHT cells is inhibited compared with that of SVXJ cells. Cell cycle analysis indicated that overexpressing of P15 inhibited the growth of SHT cells by decreasing progrssion of cells from G1 to S and G2 to M phases. The levels of c-Myc and c-Fos were obviously decreased in SHT cells compared with control cells by Western blotting. The decreased expression of oncogene may be one of the molecular mechanisms of the effect of P15 on the proliferation of in SHT cells.     

Key residues involved in calcium-binding motifs in EGF-like domains

Many extracellular proteins with diverse functions contain domains similar to epidermal growth factor (EGF), a number of which have a consensus Asp/Asn, Asp/Asn, Asp*/Asn*, Tyr/Phe (where the asterisk denotes a beta-hydroxylated residue). These include the coagulation factors IX and X, proteins with two EGF-like domains, the first of which contains the consensus residues. The first EGF-like domain of human factor IX contains a calcium-binding site, which is believed to be responsible for one of the high-affinity sites detected in this protein. Similar results have been obtained for bovine factor X. We have now used protein engineering and 1H-NMR techniques to investigate the importance of individual consensus residues for ligand binding. Measurement of a calcium-dependent Tyr 69 shift in the isolated first EGF-like domain from human factor IX demonstrates that Asp 47, Asp 49, and Asp 64 are directly involved in this binding. Gln 50, whose importance has previously been overlooked, is also involved in this binding. Two mutations in this domain, Asp 47----Glu, and Asp 64----Asn, present in patients with haemophilia B, reduce calcium binding to the domain greater than 4-fold and greater than 1,000-fold, respectively. Furthermore, the defective calcium binding of Asn 64 can be partially rescued by the compensatory mutation Gln 50----Glu. This latter mutation, when introduced singly more than doubles the affinity of the domain for calcium. This study thus defines residues involved in a new type of calcium-binding site and provides strong circumstantial evidence for calcium-binding motifs in many extracellular proteins, including the developmentally important proteins of Drosophila, notch, delta and crumbs.     

Amplification of P-glycoprotein genes in multidrug-resistant mammalian cell lines

The multidrug-resistance phenotype expressed in mammalian cell lines is complex. Cells selected with a single agent can acquire cross-resistance to a remarkably wide range of compounds which have no obvious structural or functional similarities. The basis for cross-resistance seems to be a decreased net cellular accumulation of the drug involved, and has been attributed to alterations in the plasma membrane. An over-expressed plasma membrane glycoprotein of relative molecular mass (Mr) 170,000 (P-glycoprotein) is consistently found in different multidrug-resistant human and animal cell lines, and in transplantable tumours. Consequently, it has been postulated that P-glycoprotein directly or indirectly mediates multidrug resistance. Here we report the cloning of a complementary DNA encoding P-glycoprotein. Southern blot analysis of hamster, mouse and human DNA using this cDNA as a probe showed that P-glycoprotein is conserved and is probably encoded by a gene family, and that members of this putative family are amplified in multidrug-resistant cells.     

Distribution of factor VIII mRNA and antigen in human liver and other tissues

The cellular site of synthesis of factor VIII (FVIII:C; anti-haemophilic factor) has long been sought. Previous studies suggested the liver as a major site of synthesis, but extrahepatic sources such as spleen and lung have been implicated. Using an immunoradiometric assay (IRMA), we recently localized factor VIII antigen (FVIII:Ag, formerly FVIII:CAg), to whole perfused guinea pig liver and spleen, and to isolated hepatocytes, with lesser or trace amounts in other tissues. Using an immunohistological technique, Stel et al. detected FVIII:Ag in normal human liver sinusoidal endothelial cells, while Exner et al. detected FVIII:Ag by IRMA in extracts of human lymph nodes, lung, liver and spleen. The localization of antigen in tissues does not, however, distinguish sites of factor VIII synthesis from those of storage, and such experiments are subject to misinterpretation due to entrapment of plasma factor VIII in tissues. The recent cloning of the human factor VIII gene provides hybridization probes for the detection of factor VIII messenger RNA in cells, thus directly determining sites of synthesis. During complementary DNA cloning, we detected factor VIII mRNA in liver, and it has been localized by others in liver and placenta and in liver and kidney. In the present study, we detected factor VIII mRNA in isolated human hepatocytes, in spleen and in numerous tissues including lymph nodes and kidney, but not in white blood cells or cultured endothelial cells. We also found that the factor VIII, factor VII, factor IX and protein C antigens in liver are predominantly localized in hepatocytes, while very little von Willebrand factor antigen (vWF:Ag, formerly FVIIIR Ag) is detectable in this organ.     

Scatter factor is a fibroblast-derived modulator of epithelial cell mobility

Various factors are known to regulate cell growth and differentiation, but less is known of agents which affect movement and positioning, particularly in epithelial-mesenchymal interactions. Cultured human embryo fibroblasts release a protein with a relative molecular mass (Mr) of approximately 50,000 (50K) that affects epithelial cells by causing a disruption of junctions, an increase in local motility and a scattering of contiguous sheets of cells. To investigate specificity, a range of cells has been examined for the ability to produce the factor and for sensitivity to its action. Most freshly isolated normal epithelia and epithelia from cell lines of normal tissue, but not epithelia from tumour cell lines or fibroblasts, were sensitive to scatter factor. In contrast, production of the factor, as identified by activity and by chromatography, was restricted to embryonic fibroblasts and certain variants of 3T3 and BHK21 cells and their transformed derivatives. We conclude that the scatter factor is a paracrine effector of epithelial-mesenchymal interaction, which affects the intercellular connections and mobility of normal epithelial cells. The factor might be involved in epithelial migration, such as occurs in embryogenesis or wound healing.     

筛选p53靶向药物的细胞模型的构建

为了筛选可以恢复肿瘤细胞中p53功能的小分子,作者用表达野生型p53的人类直肠癌细胞HCT116建立了一株能够应答激活p53信号通路的荧光素酶报告基因的稳定细胞系,同时用表达野生型p53的人类骨肉瘤细胞U2-OS建立了一株能够应答激活p53信号通路的mCherry红色荧光蛋白报告基因的稳定细胞系.为了检测筛选p53靶向药物的有效性,利用三种已知的以p53为靶点的小分子药物(cisplatin,doxorubicin以及Nutlin-3)处理这两种稳定细胞系,结果显示p53信号通路在这两个稳定细胞系中均能够被激活.为了探索小分子RNA作为恢复p53功能的靶标药物,并进一步验证这两种细胞模型用于药物筛选的可行性,分别检测了MDM2和MDMX的5个不同shRNA.通过比较HCT116稳定细胞的荧光素酶活性和U2-OS稳定细胞中荧光蛋白的荧光强度,我们筛选出了有效沉默MDM2或MDMX的shRNA.数据表明,这两种细胞模型不仅可用作筛选激活p53的小分子化合物的平台,而且可用于筛选激活p53信号通路的小分子RNA.     

脂质体转染人肝星状细胞和肝细胞条件优化

利用Lipofectamine 2000(Lipo)介导LacZ及EGFP基因转染人肝星状细胞系LX-2和人肝细胞系Chang Liver,探讨Lipo用量、质粒用量、转染时间、细胞初始接种密度及不同启动子驱动对转染效率的影响.结果显示,两种细胞均能得到高效转染,Chang Liver细胞转染效率(80%)高于LX-2细胞(60%).Lipo用量为每孔2μL,转染后6 h换液,LX-2细胞应用质粒DNA为每孔0.45μg,Chang Liver细胞应用质粒DNA为每孔0.30~0.45μg,此时转染效率最高.巨细胞病毒(CMV)启动子驱动LacZ转染效率与CMV早期增强子/鸡β肌动蛋白(CAG)启动子驱动增强型绿色荧光蛋白(EGFP)转染效率无显著差异;细胞初始接种密度对转染效率无显著影响.     

Cloning defined regions of the human genome by microdissection of banded chromosomes and enzymatic amplification

The molecular analysis of many genetic diseases requires the isolation of probes for defined human chromosome regions. Existing techniques such as the screening of chromosome-specific libraries, subtractive DNA cloning and chromosome jumping are either tedious or not generally applicable. Microdissection and microcloning has successfully been applied to various chromosome regions in Drosophila and mouse, but conventional microtechniques are too coarse and inefficient for analysis of the human genome. Because microdissection has previously been used on unbanded chromosomes only, cell lines in which the chromosome of interest could be identified without banding had to be used. At least one hundred chromosomes were needed for dissection and lambda vectors used to achieve maximum cloning efficiency. Recombinant phage clones are, however, more difficult to characterize than plasmid clones. Here we describe the dissection of the Langer-Giedion syndrome region on chromosome 8 from GTG-banded metaphase chromosomes (G-banding with trypsin-Giemsa) and the universal enzymatic amplification of the dissected DNA. Eighty per cent of clones from this library (total yield 20,000) identify single-copy DNA sequences. Fifty per cent of clones detect deletions in two patients with Langer-Giedion syndrome. Although the other clones have not yet been mapped, this result demonstrates that thousands of region-specific probes can be isolated within ten days.     

Thrombospondin binds falciparum malaria parasitized erythrocytes and may mediate cytoadherence

Plasmodium falciparum infected erythrocytes containing mature trophozoites and schizonts sequester along venular endothelium and are not in the peripheral circulation of patients with malaria. Knobs appear on infected erythrocytes and are the points of attachment to endothelium. Sequestration may protect the parasite from splenic destruction and may play a role in the pathogenesis of cerebral malaria. Correlates of sequestration have been developed in vitro using cultured human endothelium and an amelanotic melanoma cell line. Knobless strains (K-) of P. falciparum fail to sequester in vivo and to bind to cells in vitro. We now present evidence that the receptor for cytoadherence is the glycoprotein, thrombospondin. Aotus monkey or human erythrocytes containing knobby (K+) but not Aotus erythrocytes containing knobless strains of P. falciparum bind to immobilized thrombospondin. Neither binds to the adhesive proteins laminin, fibronectin, factor VIII/von Willebrand factor or vitronectin. Both soluble thrombospondin and anti-thrombospondin antibodies inhibit binding of parasitized Aotus erythrocytes to immobilize thrombospondin and to melanoma cells which secrete thrombospondin.