Lectin-induced expression of DR antigen on human cultured follicular thyroid cells

HLA-DR antigens, the human equivalent of mouse I region-associated or Ia products, are polymorphic cell surface sialoglycoproteins involved in initiation of the immune response. Their expression is normally restricted to B lymphocytes, macrophages, dendritic and other antigen-presenting cells and vascular endothelium and possibly some cells of the mucosa lining body cavities. HLA-DR expression can be modified during cell differentiation; B lymphocytes become negative on maturing to plasma cells and human T lymphocytes acquire these antigens when activated in vitro or in vivo. We report here that human thyroid follicular cells which are normally negative for HLA-DR molecules, can be induced to express these antigens when cultured with phytohaemagglutinin (PHA), concanavalin A (Con A) or pokeweed mitogen (PWM). These lectins exert their action directly on the thyroid cells with no concomitant mitogenic effect.     

Selective expression of an antigen receptor on CD8-bearing T lymphocytes in transgenic mice

The major problem in the study of T-cell development is that of tracking thymocytes of a given specificity. Recent studies have exploited natural correlations between the expression of a particular V beta gene segment and T-cell receptor (TCR) specificity. We and others (refs 5, 6 and M. Davis, personal communication) have taken an alternative approach. We have generated transgenic mice expressing the alpha beta antigen receptor from the cytotoxic T-lymphocyte clone 2C (ref. 7). In transgenic mice of the same haplotype as the 2C clone, the 2C TCR was expressed on 20-95% of peripheral T cells. Very few of these T cells carried the CD4 antigen; the vast majority were CD4-CD8+ and were able to lyse targets with the same specificity as the original 2C clone. These results indicate that the alpha beta heterodimer transfers specificity to recipient cells as expected from earlier studies, and that receptor specificity in T-cell repertoire selection is determined by both alpha beta heterodimer and CD4 or CD8 accessory molecules.     

bFGF在原代培养人皮肤成纤维细胞中的高效分泌表达

目的：提高碱性成纤维细胞生长因子在原代培养的成纤维细胞中的分泌表达。方法：bFGF缺乏典型的分泌信号肽,将鼠抗体轻链基因Igx的信号肽序列引入该基因的5′端得到新的IgK-bFGF重组体基因。同时考虑到人源细胞氨基酸编码密码子的偏好性,对整个基因序列密码子的第3位摇摆碱基作了偏好性调整,并克隆入真核表达载体中。得到的重组质粒用酶切的方法线性化,尽量去除质粒载体上大肠杆菌起源的基因序列,然后通过电穿孔的方法将线性质粒转导入原代培养的人皮肤成纤维细胞。结果：与野生型的bFGF基因相比,嵌合体bFGF被大量分泌到培养基中,同时对于成纤维细胞的增殖有明显的促进作用。结论：这种嵌合体基因的构建可以明显提高成纤维细胞对bFGF。的分泌表达。     

Cloning and expression of human and rat D1 dopamine receptors

The importance of the dopaminergic system in brain function has been emphasized by its association with neurological and psychiatric disorders such as Parkinson's disease and schizophrenia. On the basis of their biochemical and pharmacological characteristics, dopamine receptors are classified into D1 and D2 subtypes. As the most abundant dopamine receptor in the central nervous system, D1 receptors seem to mediate some behavioural responses, modulate activity of D2 dopamine receptors, and regulate neuron growth and differentiation. The D dopamine receptor has been cloned by low-stringency screening. We report here the cloning of human and rat D1 dopamine receptors by applying an approach based on the polymerase chain reaction. The cloned human D1 dopamine receptor has been characterized on the basis of four criteria: the deduced amino-acid sequence, which reveals that it is a G protein-coupled receptor; the tissue distribution of its messenger RNA, which is compatible with that of the D1 dopamine receptor; its pharmacological profile when transfected into COS-7 cells; and its ability to stimulate the accumulation of cyclic AMP in human 293 cells.     

Cloning, sequencing and expression of cDNA for a novel subunit of acetylcholine receptor from calf muscle

The nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (AChR) from fish electric organ has a subunit structure of alpha 2 beta gamma delta, and this is thought to be also the case for the mammalian skeletal muscle AChR. By cloning and sequencing the complementary or genomic DNAs, we have previously elucidated the primary structures of all four subunits of the Torpedo californica electroplax and calf muscle AChR and of the alpha- and gamma-subunits of the human muscle AChR; the primary structures of the gamma-subunit of the T. californica AChR and the alpha-subunit of the Torpedo marmorata AChR have also been deduced elsewhere. We have now cloned DNA complementary to the calf muscle messenger RNA encoding a novel polypeptide (the epsilon-subunit) whose deduced amino-acid sequence has features characteristic of the AChR subunits and which shows higher sequence homology with the gamma-subunit than with the other subunits. cDNA expression studies indicate that the calf epsilon-subunit, as well as the calf gamma-subunit, can replace the Torpedo gamma-subunit to form the functional receptor in combination with the Torpedo alpha-, beta- and delta-subunits.     

人NOD8基因启动子绿色荧光蛋白表达载体的构建与鉴定

目的:构建人NOD8基因启动子的绿色荧光蛋白表达载体.方法:用特定的限制性内切酶位点,以人基因组DNA为模板,PCR扩增含有人NOD8基因启动子不同长度2段序列,并进行酶切以切除启动子的pEGFP-C2作框架结构,插入表达载体pEGFP-C2中,构建含有人NOD8基因启动子驱动的绿色荧光蛋白载体pEGFP-C2-NOD8(520 bp)、pEGFP-C2-NOD8(760 bp),用Vsp Ⅰ和Nhe Ⅰ双酶切和PCR鉴定重组质粒,再将重组质粒进行DNA序列分析.构建的重组质粒经脂质体(lipofectamine)TM2000介导转染HEK293、K562和HeLa细胞,转染48 h后在倒置荧光显微镜下观察.结果:pEGFP-C2-NOD8(520 bp)、pEGFP-C2-NOD8(760 bp)分别经酶切鉴定和序列测定证实目的基因已插入重组质粒;细胞转染结果表明,构建的2段重组质粒转染HEK293、K562及HeLa细胞均能表达绿色荧光,其中构建的pEGFP-C2-NOD8(760 bp)重组质粒绿色荧光表达强于pEGFP-C2-NOD8(520 bp).结论:成功构建2段不同长度的人NOD8基因启动子绿色荧光蛋白表达载体.     

Cell attachment protein VP8* of a human rotavirus specifically interacts with A-type histo-blood group antigen

As with many other viruses, the initial cell attachment of rotaviruses, which are the major causative agent of infantile gastroenteritis, is mediated by interactions with specific cellular glycans. The distally located VP8* domain of the rotavirus spike protein VP4 (ref. 5) mediates such interactions. The existing paradigm is that 'sialidase-sensitive' animal rotavirus strains bind to glycans with terminal sialic acid (Sia), whereas 'sialidase-insensitive' human rotavirus strains bind to glycans with internal Sia such as GM1 (ref. 3). Although the involvement of Sia in the animal strains is firmly supported by crystallographic studies, it is not yet known how VP8* of human rotaviruses interacts with Sia and whether their cell attachment necessarily involves sialoglycans. Here we show that VP8* of a human rotavirus strain specifically recognizes A-type histo-blood group antigen (HBGA) using a glycan array screen comprised of 511 glycans, and that virus infectivity in HT-29 cells is abrogated by anti-A-type antibodies as well as significantly enhanced in Chinese hamster ovary cells genetically modified to express the A-type HBGA, providing a novel paradigm for initial cell attachment of human rotavirus. HBGAs are genetically determined glycoconjugates present in mucosal secretions, epithelia and on red blood cells, and are recognized as susceptibility and cell attachment factors for gastric pathogens like Helicobacter pylori and noroviruses. Our crystallographic studies show that the A-type HBGA binds to the human rotavirus VP8* at the same location as the Sia in the VP8* of animal rotavirus, and suggest how subtle changes within the same structural framework allow for such receptor switching. These results raise the possibility that host susceptibility to specific human rotavirus strains and pathogenesis are influenced by genetically controlled expression of different HBGAs among the world's population.     

Structure of the human class I histocompatibility antigen, HLA-A2

The class I histocompatibility antigen from human cell membranes has two structural motifs: the membrane-proximal end of the glycoprotein contains two domains with immunoglobulin-folds that are paired in a novel manner, and the region distal from the membrane is a platform of eight antiparallel beta-strands topped by alpha-helices. A large groove between the alpha-helices provides a binding site for processed foreign antigens. An unknown 'antigen' is found in this site in crystals of purified HLA-A2.     

Cloning, sequence and expression of human interleukin-2 receptor

T lymphocytes, essential for the generation of a normal immune response, require the presence of the lymphokine interleukin-2 (IL-2) in order to proliferate. Cells that respond to IL-2 possess a surface receptor glycoprotein specific for this lymphokine. We have recently purified and chemically characterized the IL-2 receptor from both phytohaemagglutinin-activated human T cells and the human T-cell lymphoma HUT-102 (ref. 5). From the NH2-terminal protein sequence obtained in that study, we have now used synthetic oligonucleotides to probe a complementary DNA library, prepared from HUT-102 messenger RNA, for the presence of cDNA clones that might code for the IL-2 receptor. Two cDNA clones were isolated which had closely related DNA sequences. Interestingly, only one coded for an active receptor when transfected into COS-7 cells. This clone contained a 216-base pair (bp) insert that was not present in the other clone. The insert was flanked by an 8-bp direct repeat reminiscent of a transposable element, and appeared to code for a region of marked structural homology to the NH2-terminal region of the receptor molecule.     

人Sox2基因的克隆表达和纯化

应用RT-PCR方法从人胚胎十细胞中扩增出Sox2基因,构建pET28b-Sox2表达载体.用IPTG诱导转化pET28b-Sox2表达载体的大肠杆菌BL21(DE3).并优化表达条件为37℃ 1PTG0.8 mmol/L诱导4 h.以Ni-NTA亲和层析法纯化Sox2重组蛋白,对变性蛋白进行柱上和透析复性,复性后蛋白得率为0.7 mg/g湿菌重.