细胞编程性死亡及其生物学意义

细胞编程性死亡(英文编写为PCD)是多细胞生物的自然属性,它按照一定的基因编码在时空上顺次表达使死亡细胞呈现一定的表观现象及生理生化特征。PCD受来自机体内其它细胞信号等内源性因素和药物、物理等外源性因素的调节。PCD是一种主动死亡方式且表现为单细胞性,与病理因素作用下的坏死不同,但又有一定联系。PCD在动、植物体的生长发育和成体新陈代谢中有重要的调节作用,PCD异常是某些疾病发病的重要原因     

Programmed cell death in developing human fetal CNS

The spatial and temporal distributions of programmed cell death (PCD) in developing central nervous system (CNS) of human fetuses ranging from 12 to 39 weeks of gestation were investigated using techniques of flow cytometry and terminal transferase-mediated nick end labeling (TUNEL). The results showed that PCD did occur in every representative brain region of all fetuses examined in different stages. It was found that there were two peaks of PCD appearing at the 12th and 39th weeks respectively, which suggested that the first peak of apoptosis may be involved in the selective elimination of neurons overproduced during the early development and the second may play an important role in establishing the correct neuronal circuitry.     

Programmed cell death, mitochondria and the plant hypersensitive response.

The plant response to attempted infection by microbial pathogens is often accompanied by rapid cell death in and around the initial infection site, a reaction known as the hypersensitive response. This response is associated with restricted pathogen growth and represents a form of programmed cell death (PCD). Recent pharmacological and molecular studies have provided functional evidence for the conservation of some of the basic regulatory mechanisms underlying the response to pathogens and the activation of PCD in animal and plant systems. In animals, the mitochondrion integrates diverse cellular stress signals and initiates the death execution pathway, and studies indicate a similar involvement for mitochondria in regulating PCD in plants. But many of the cell-death regulators that have been characterized in humans, worms and flies are absent from the Arabidopsis genome, indicating that plants probably use other regulators to control this process.     

Programmed death of autoreactive thymocytes

T lymphocytes bearing high-affinity T-cell receptors (TCR) for self-antigens are clonally deleted during thymus development. Several recent studies have identified variable domains of the beta-chain of the TCR that are specifically deleted in vivo in mouse strains that express major histocompatibility complex class II molecules in addition to poorly defined self-antigens, including those encoded by the Mls-1a and Mls-2a loci. Deletion of autoreactive cells in these systems occurs in the thymus, and antibody blocking experiments in vivo have implicated the phenotypically immature CD4+CD8+ 'cortical' subset as the target population for clonal deletion. Similarly, studies with transgenic mice bearing autoreactive TCR have provided independent evidence that clonal deletion occurs at the CD4+CD8+ stage of development. But none of these studies directly identified dying autoreactive cells, and the circumstances leading to deletion remain unclear. Here we report that neonatal thymus contains a significant population of phenotypically mature CD4+CD8- cells bearing autoreactive TCR. When placed in short-term culture, a large proportion (60%) of these autoreactive cells die selectively. Furthermore, their death can be prevented by inhibitors of macromolecule (RNA and protein) synthesis, as is the case for glucocorticoid-induced death of thymocytes. These data indicate that physiological clonal deletion of autoreactive cells involves 'programmed' cell death, and that it can occur in cells with a mature (CD4+CD8-) surface phenotype.     

Programmed cell death features in apple suspension cells under low oxygen culture

Suspension-cultured apple fruit cells (Malus pumila Mill. cv. Braeburn) were exposed to a low oxygen atmosphere to test whether programmed cell death (PCD) has a role in cell dysfunction and death under hypoxic conditions. Protoplasts were prepared at various times after low oxygen conditions were established, and viability tested by triple staining with fluorescein diacetate (FDA), propidium iodide (PI) and Hoechst33342 (HO342). DNA breakdown and phosphatidylserine exposure on the plasma membrane were observed using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL), and annexin V binding. About 30% of protoplasts from cells after 48 h under low oxygen showed an increased accumulation of HO342, indicating increased membrane permeability. Positive TUNEL and annexin V results were also only obtained with protoplasts from cells under low oxygen. The results suggest that apple celi death under low oxygen is at least partially PCD mediated, and may explain tissue breakdown under controlled atmosphere (low oxygen) conditions in apple fruit.     

Programmed cell death during terminal bud senescence in a sympodial branching tree, Eucommia ulmoides

Eucommia ulmoides Oliv. is a typical sympodial branching tree. The apical bud of the branch ages and dies every year, replaced by the nearby axillary bud in the second year. Structural assays and a series of biochemical analyses were performed to analyze the senescence mechanism in the apical bud. It was revealed that most cells of the apical bud underwent the programmed cell death (PCD) during the senescence: the chromosomes were congregated and the nuclear contents were condensed, as shown by 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) fluorescence. DNA fragmentation was detected during senescence using the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated dUTP nick end in situ labeling (TUNEL) method, coincident with the appearance of a DNA ladder. Moreover, a 20 kD DNase related to fragmentation was found. PCD was initiated first in the young leaves, leaf primordia and peripheral zone cells, then in the central mother cells and initial layer cells in the apical meristem. The terminal buds remain in vegetative growth during senescence, in contrast to buds of many annual plants.     

Programmed cell death in Laminaria japonica (Phaeophyta) tissues infected with alginic acid decomposing bacterium

TdT-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) is a sensitive and valid method for detecting DNA cleavage in programmed cell death (PCD). Using this method, DNA cleavage was observed in Laminaria japonica sporophytic tissues, which were infected with alginic acid decomposing bacterium. It was found that DNA cleavage occurred 5 min after the infection, the fragments with 3′-OH groups of cleaved nuclear DNA increased with time of infection and spread from the infection site. Although no typical DNA ladder (200 bp/180 bp) was detected by routine agarose gel electrophoresis, the cleavage of nuclear DNA fragments of 97～48.5 kb could be detected by pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). By using CaspGLOWTM fluorescein active caspase-3 staining method, caspase-3 activity has been detected in response to the infection of alginic acid decomposing bacterium. Our results are similar to the observations in hypersensitive response (HR) of higher plant, suggesting that the rapid cell death of L. Japonica infected by alginic acid decomposing bacterium might be involved in PCD, and indicating that the occurrence of PCD is an active defense process against the pathogen's infection.     

BCL—2和细胞程序性死亡的调控

细胞程序性死亡是一种自杀性细胞死亡,乃多细胞高等生物去除有害及多余细胞之途径,为生物体正常的生长发育及功能维持所必需。本文阐述了BCL—2基因与程序性细胞死亡调控之间的关系。     

Programmed elimination of cells by caspase-independent cell extrusion in C. elegans

The elimination of unnecessary or defective cells from metazoans occurs during normal development and tissue homeostasis, as well as in response to infection or cellular damage. Although many cells are removed through caspase-mediated apoptosis followed by phagocytosis by engulfing cells, other mechanisms of cell elimination occur, including the extrusion of cells from epithelia through a poorly understood, possibly caspase-independent, process. Here we identify a mechanism of cell extrusion that is caspase independent and that can eliminate a subset of the Caenorhabditis elegans cells programmed to die during embryonic development. In wild-type animals, these cells die soon after their generation through caspase-mediated apoptosis. However, in mutants lacking all four C. elegans caspase genes, these cells are eliminated by being extruded from the developing embryo into the extra-embryonic space of the egg. The shed cells show apoptosis-like cytological and morphological characteristics, indicating that apoptosis can occur in the absence of caspases in C. elegans. We describe a kinase pathway required for cell extrusion involving PAR-4, STRD-1 and MOP-25.1/-25.2, the C. elegans homologues of the mammalian tumour-suppressor kinase LKB1 and its binding partners STRADα and MO25α. The AMPK-related kinase PIG-1, a possible target of the PAR-4–STRD-1–MOP-25 kinase complex, is also required for cell shedding. PIG-1 promotes shed-cell detachment by preventing the cell-surface expression of cell-adhesion molecules. Our findings reveal a mechanism for apoptotic cell elimination that is fundamentally distinct from that of canonical programmed cell death.     

Social controls on cell survival and cell death.

Programmed cell death occurs in most animal tissues at some stage of their development, but the molecular mechanism by which it is executed is unknown. For some mammalian cells, programmed death seems to occur by default unless suppressed by signals from other cells. Such dependence on specific survival signals provides a simple way to eliminate misplaced cells, for regulating cell numbers and, perhaps, for selecting the fittest cells. But how general is this dependence on survival signals?     

器官发育与程序化细胞死亡

介绍了2002年诺贝尔生理医学奖的获奖内容，讨论了程序化细胞死亡的分子作用机制，探讨了这一基础研究对于治疗癌症等分子性疾病的重要作用。