Activation-induced cytidine deaminase turns on somatic hypermutation in hybridomas

The production of high-affinity protective antibodies requires somatic hypermutation (SHM) of the antibody variable (V)-region genes. SHM is characterized by a high frequency of point mutations that occur only during the centroblast stage of B-cell differentiation. Activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID), which is expressed specifically in germinal-centre centroblasts, is required for this process, but its exact role is unknown. Here we show that AID is required for SHM in the centroblast-like Ramos cells, and that expression of AID is sufficient to induce SHM in hybridoma cells, which represent a later stage of B-cell differentiation that does not normally undergo SHM. In one hybridoma, mutations were exclusively in G*C base pairs that were mostly within RGYW or WRCY motifs, suggesting that AID has primary responsibility for mutations at these nucleotides. The activation of SHM in hybridomas indicates that AID does not require other centroblast-specific cofactors to induce SHM, suggesting either that it functions alone or that the factors it requires are expressed at other stages of B-cell differentiation.     

Structure of the DNA deaminase domain of the HIV-1 restriction factor APOBEC3G

The human APOBEC3G (apolipoprotein B messenger-RNA-editing enzyme, catalytic polypeptide-like 3G) protein is a single-strand DNA deaminase that inhibits the replication of human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1), other retroviruses and retrotransposons. APOBEC3G anti-viral activity is circumvented by most retroelements, such as through degradation by HIV-1 Vif. APOBEC3G is a member of a family of polynucleotide cytosine deaminases, several of which also target distinct physiological substrates. For instance, APOBEC1 edits APOB mRNA and AID deaminates antibody gene DNA. Although structures of other family members exist, none of these proteins has elicited polynucleotide cytosine deaminase or anti-viral activity. Here we report a solution structure of the human APOBEC3G catalytic domain. Five alpha-helices, including two that form the zinc-coordinating active site, are arranged over a hydrophobic platform consisting of five beta-strands. NMR DNA titration experiments, computational modelling, phylogenetic conservation and Escherichia coli-based activity assays combine to suggest a DNA-binding model in which a brim of positively charged residues positions the target cytosine for catalysis. The structure of the APOBEC3G catalytic domain will help us to understand functions of other family members and interactions that occur with pathogenic proteins such as HIV-1 Vif.     

HIV-1和HBV复合型DNA免疫的初步研究

近年的研究表明,在啮齿类和非人灵长类免疫带有编码病毒和细菌抗原基因的质粒ＤＮＡ可以激发体液和细胞免疫应答．在本实验中,将ＨＢＶ的Ｓ基因和ＨＩＶ－１的ｇｐ１６０基因以融合形式插入到载体ｐｃＤＮＡ３中,其能表达ＨＢｓＡｇ和ｇｐ１６０的融合蛋白,并将此质粒ＤＮＡ分别直接注射到Ｂａｌｂ／ｃ小鼠和Ｓｗｉｓ小鼠．三次免疫后,用ＥＬＩＳＡ的方法初步检测ＨＢｓＡｇ和ｇｐ１６０抗原特异的抗体免疫应答均为阳性．结果说明,带有ＨＢＶ和ＨＩＶ－１融合基因的质粒ＤＮＡ直接免疫小鼠后,均激发了小鼠产生相应的免疫应答反应,这个结果为研究和生产多价疫苗提供了新的思路     

The major substrates for TAP in vivo are derived from newly synthesized proteins

The transporter associated with antigen processing (TAP) is a member of the family of ABC transporters that translocate a large variety of substrates across membranes. TAP transports peptides from the cytosol into the endoplasmic reticulum for binding to MHC class I molecules and for subsequent presentation to the immune system. Here we follow the lateral mobility of TAP in living cells. TAP's mobility increases when it is inactive and decreases when it translocates peptides. Because TAP activity is dependent on substrate, the mobility of TAP is used to monitor the intracellular peptide content in vivo. Comparison of the diffusion rates in peptide-free and peptide-saturated cells indicates that normally about one-third of all TAP molecules actively translocate peptides. However, during an acute influenza infection TAP becomes fully employed owing to the production and degradation of viral proteins. Furthermore, TAP activity depends on continuing protein translation. This implies that MHC class I molecules mainly sample peptides that originate from newly synthesized proteins, to ensure rapid presentation to the immune system.     

Trigger factor and DnaK cooperate in folding of newly synthesized proteins.

The role of molecular chaperones in assisting the folding of newly synthesized proteins in the cytosol is poorly understood. In Escherichia coli, GroEL assists folding of only a minority of proteins and the Hsp70 homologue DnaK is not essential for protein folding or cell viability at intermediate growth temperatures. The major protein associated with nascent polypeptides is ribosome-bound trigger factor, which displays chaperone and prolyl isomerase activities in vitro. Here we show that delta tig::kan mutants lacking trigger factor have no defects in growth or protein folding. However, combined delta tig::kan and delta dnaK mutations cause synthetic lethality. Depletion of DnaK in the delta tig::kan mutant results in massive aggregation of cytosolic proteins. In delta tig::kan cells, an increased amount of newly synthesized proteins associated transiently with DnaK. These findings show in vivo activity for a ribosome-associated chaperone, trigger factor, in general protein folding, and functional cooperation of this protein with a cytosolic Hsp70. Trigger factor and DnaK cooperate to promote proper folding of a variety of E. coli proteins, but neither is essential for folding and viability at intermediate growth temperatures.     

Induction of somatic hypermutation in immunoglobulin genes is dependent on DNA polymerase iota

Somatic hypermutation of immunoglobulin genes is a unique, targeted, adaptive process. While B cells are engaged in germinal centres in T-dependent responses, single base substitutions are introduced in the expressed Vh/Vl genes to allow the selection of mutants with a higher affinity for the immunizing antigen. Almost every possible DNA transaction has been proposed to explain this process, but each of these models includes an error-prone DNA synthesis step that introduces the mutations. The Y family of DNA polymerases--pol eta, pol iota, pol kappa and rev1--are specialized for copying DNA lesions and have high rates of error when copying a normal DNA template. By performing gene inactivation in a Burkitt's lymphoma cell line inducible for hypermutation, we show here that somatic hypermutation is dependent on DNA polymerase iota.     

Immune responses of a designed HIV-1 DNA vaccine on rhesus monkeys

According to the UNAIDS/WHO report (http:// www.unaids.org/Epi2005/doc/report.html), there are about 40.3 million HIV/AIDS survivors, and the new HIV infection number amounts to about 4.9 million, while the death number is some 3.1 million in the world in…     

High levels of unintegrated HIV-1 DNA in brain tissue of AIDS dementia patients

In the host cell, retroviral DNAs exist in three main forms: unintegrated linear, unintegrated circular, and integrated (the provirus). High levels of unintegrated forms of retroviral DNA often correlate with superinfection and accompanying cytopathic effects, as, for example, in the case of feline acquired immunodeficiency. In culture, HIV-1 infection also results in high levels of unintegrated viral DNA although direct correlations with cytopathicity have not been made. The low frequency of HIV-1-infected cells in patients has made it difficult to determine the structure of the viral DNA in fresh tissue samples from AIDS patients by standard methods such as Southern hybridization. The PCR technique however, which allows the detection of viral DNA at levels far below that possible by other hybridization methods is, in its conventional form, of limited use for quantitative analysis. To study the amount and form of HIV-1 DNA in primary tissue of AIDS patients we have therefore modified the PCR method. Our results indicate that each of the three species of viral DNA are detectable in blood and brain of AIDS patients, and that in autopsy samples from patients with HIV encephalitis there is a considerably higher proportion of unintegrated viral DNA.     

HIV-1C亚型DNA疫苗诱导小鼠免疫反应的研究

 构建含中国流行株HIV-1 C亚型核心蛋白gag基因的重组质粒pVAX-gag,并在体外进行了表达与鉴定.同时构建了含此gag基因的原核表达质粒pGEX-gag,表达纯化并鉴定重组蛋白Gag.以质粒pVAX-gag免疫Balb/C小鼠后,用ELISpot和流式细胞仪检测其细胞免疫反应.再以纯化后的重组蛋白Gag作为包被抗原,用ELISA检测其体液免疫反应.结果显示重组质粒pVAX-gag免疫小鼠后可有效地诱导机体产生细胞免疫和体液免疫反应,且免疫剂量和免疫效果存在一定的正相关性.重组原核表达质粒pGEX-gag的表达产物能与抗p24单克隆抗体发生特异性反应,可用于抗HIV抗体检测.     

The inner-nuclear-envelope protein emerin regulates HIV-1 infectivity

Primate lentiviruses such as human immunodeficiency type 1 (HIV-1) have the capacity to infect non-dividing cells such as tissue macrophages. In the process, viral complementary DNA traverses the nuclear envelope to integrate within chromatin. Given the intimate association between chromatin and the nuclear envelope, we examined whether HIV-1 appropriates nuclear envelope components during infection. Here we show that emerin, an integral inner-nuclear-envelope protein, is necessary for HIV-1 infection. Infection of primary macrophages lacking emerin was abortive in that viral cDNA localized to the nucleus but integration into chromatin was inefficient, and conversion of viral cDNA to non-functional episomal cDNA increased. HIV-1 cDNA associated with emerin in vivo, and the interaction of viral cDNA with chromatin was dependent on emerin. Barrier-to-autointegration factor (BAF), the LEM (LAP, emerin, MAN) binding partner of emerin, was required for the association of viral cDNA with emerin and for the ability of emerin to support virus infection. Therefore emerin, which bridges the interface between the inner nuclear envelope and chromatin, may be necessary for chromatin engagement by viral cDNA before integration.     

pH值对原位合成镍基SBA-15复合材料的结构和磁性影响

通过调节强酸性介质溶液的pH值,水热法合成镍基SBA-15复合材料。样品的结构、形貌、比表面和孔径分布分别采用XRD,SEM,TEM和氮气吸脱附来表征。结果显示:当溶液的pH值调节为7时,样品仍然是六方孔道的介孔结构。除了长程有序性和表面积略有减少外,其结构与初始合成的SBA-15的结构非常相似。然而,样品晶胞和壁厚的增加表明更多的镍进入了SBA-15的骨架。当溶液的pH值调节为9时,样品的长程有序性遭到破坏,甚至出现一些堵孔现象。在室温下测量了样品的磁性行为,表明样品具有超顺磁性并且磁性参数Ms,Mr和Hc伴随着样品中镍含量的增加而增大,这是由于pH调节的效果。因此,pH值的调节方法对制备有序的Ni-SBA-15复合材料以及样品中镍含量起着重要的作用。     

Cigarette smoke induces DNA single-strand breaks in human cells

Epidemiological evidence suggests that smoking is a major cause of human lung cancer. However, the mechanism by which cigarette smoke induces the cancer remains obscure, although in tobacco carcinogenesis, promotion and/or co-carcinogenesis may have crucial roles. The epidemiological data show that if an individual stops smoking, the risk of his contracting lung cancer increases no further. Moreover, laboratory experiments show that cigarette smoke condensate (CSC) exhibits co-carcinogenic and promoting activities in tumour production and malignant transformation. Clastogenic action is thought to be intimately involved in tumour promotion, and it is therefore interesting that visible chromosome changes such as chromosome aberrations and sister chromatid exchanges are known to be caused by cigarette smoke. However, there has been no previous direct demonstration that cigarette smoke can cause single-strand breaks (SSB) in DNA. Here we report that cigarette smoke induces considerable numbers of DNA SSB in cultured human cells, and that such strand breaks may be ascribed to active oxygen generated from cigarette smoke.     

The gene product Murr1 restricts HIV-1 replication in resting CD4+ lymphocytes

Although human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) infects quiescent and proliferating CD4+ lymphocytes, the virus replicates poorly in resting T cells. Factors that block viral replication in these cells might help to prolong the asymptomatic phase of HIV infection; however, the molecular mechanisms that control this process are not fully understood. Here we show that Murr1, a gene product known previously for its involvement in copper regulation, inhibits HIV-1 growth in unstimulated CD4+ T cells. This inhibition was mediated in part through its ability to inhibit basal and cytokine-stimulated nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB activity. Knockdown of Murr1 increased NF-kappaB activity and decreased IkappaB-alpha concentrations by facilitating phospho-IkappaB-alpha degradation by the proteasome. Murr1 was detected in CD4+ T cells, and RNA-mediated interference of Murr1 in primary resting CD4+ lymphocytes increased HIV-1 replication. Through its effects on the proteasome, Murr1 acts as a genetic restriction factor that inhibits HIV-1 replication in lymphocytes, which could contribute to the regulation of asymptomatic HIV infection and the progression of AIDS.     

HIV-1病毒样颗粒真核表达系统的建立

目的 利用哺乳动物细胞表达HIV-1病毒样颗粒,为HIV-1病毒的生物学研究和进一步设计HIV-1中和优势表位预防性疫苗奠定基础.方法 以293T细胞作为宿主细胞,利用磷酸钙沉淀法将带有HIV-1病毒被膜蛋白gp160基因的pcDNA3.1/BaL gp160真核表达载体和带有HIV-1核心蛋白(gag)的pVRC3900真核表达载体共转染至293T细胞中,收集培养上清,经蔗糖不连续梯度离心,收集病毒样颗粒,经磷钨酸负染,透射电镜观察结果 .结果 以磷酸钙沉淀DNA转移技术,EGFP真核表达质粒为靶基因,293T细胞为宿主细胞,最佳转染效率达30%以上;将peDt NA3.1/BaL gp160(env)和pVRC3900(gag)真核表达质粒共转染,宿主细胞成功表达目的 蛋白,转染细胞培养上清经蔗糖密度梯度离心,电镜观察可见自行装配的HIV病毒样颗粒.结论 在真核细胞中表达HIV-1病毒样颗粒.     

HIV-1相关蛋白与细胞自噬在HIV相关神经认知障碍中的研究进展

细胞自噬作为真核细胞的一种自我保护机制,能降解细胞内的大分子蛋白质和病原微生物以及一些受损或老化的细胞器,使细胞维持平衡状态,在预防神经退行性疾病及免疫系统疾病等过程中有重要作用.研究发现,HIV-1(Human immunodeficiency virus type-1)能通过各种机制改变细胞自噬的正常功能,以利于自身的复制、感染等,本文就HIV-1的相关蛋白与细胞自噬的相互作用,及其在HIV相关神经认知障碍(HIV-1 associated neurocognitive disorder,HAND)的发生和发展中的重要作用进行综述.