Interferon action--sequence specificity of the ppp(A2'p)nA-dependent ribonuclease

The oligonucleotides pppA2'p5'A2'p5'A and related oligomers (2-5A) are synthesized by an enzyme that is widely distributed in a variety of cells, the activity of which varies with interferon treatment, growth and hormone status. Because significant amounts of 2-5A have recently been detected in interferon-treated cells, it has been suggested that the oligonucleotides may be involved in interferon action and in the control of cell metabolism. In both intact cells and cell-free systems 2-5A has been shown to activate a ribonuclease. We report here investigations of the sequence specificities of the 2-5A-dependent ribonucleases in extracts of rabbit reticulocytes, mouse ascites tumour cells and human lymphoblastoid cells in conditions of partial digestion using terminally labelled RNA substrates. The enzymes cleaved on the 3'-side of UN sequences to yield UpNp terminated products. Cleavage was observed predominantly at UA and UU sequences.     

P-5m八肽对肝癌HepG2细胞中MMP-2和MMP-9表达的抑制作用

目的探讨P-5m八肽对肝癌HepG2细胞中基质金属蛋白酶-2(MMP-2)、基质金属蛋白酶-9(MMP-9)表达的影响,以及P-5m八肽的抗肿瘤作用机制.方法用终浓度为10μmol/L和100μmol/L的P-5m八肽分别对处于对数生长期的HepG2细胞进行处理,药物作用时间为36 h,36 h后将细胞裂解.采用Real-time PCR方法检测给药后细胞中MMP-2和MMP-9 m RNA表达水平的变化;Western blot方法测定MMP-2和MMP-9蛋白表达水平的变化.结果Real-time PCR检测显示终浓度为10μmol/L和100μmol/L的P-5m八肽对HepG2细胞刺激后,MMP-2和MMP-9的m RNA表达均受到抑制,与对照组比较差异具有统计学意义(P0.05);Western blot检测结果表明:用10μmol/L和100μmol/L的P-5m八肽对HepG2细胞刺激后,MMP-2和MMP-9的蛋白表达均受到抑制,与对照组比较差异具有统计学意义(P0.05).结论 P-5m八肽可明显抑制HepG2细胞中MMP-2和MMP-9的表达.     

藻蓝色素蛋白通过调控miR-642a-5p抑制LTEP-a2细胞的增殖和迁移

研究藻蓝色素蛋白抑制非小细胞肺癌LTEP-a2体外增殖迁移的机制.以LTEP-a2细胞为模型,采用高通量miRNA转录组学对藻蓝蛋白处理后细胞中差异表达的miRNA进行了筛选;对筛选出的差异miRNA,利用体外转染mimics的方法对细胞的增殖、迁移能力进行验证.研究结果显示,藻蓝蛋白处理LTEP-a2细胞后能够显著增加细胞内miR-642a-5p的表达水平;过表达miR-642a-5p能够显著抑制细胞的体外增殖、迁移能力;此外,藻蓝蛋白可以通过上调miR-642a-5p表达抑制核受体NF-κB信号通路,降低蛋白磷酸化水平,进而抑制LTEP-a2细胞的增殖迁移能力.研究能够为藻蓝色素蛋白的应用以及非小细胞肺癌的治疗提供一定的理论基础.      

The B-cell surface protein CD72/Lyb-2 is the ligand for CD5.

The glycoprotein CD5 is expressed on the surface membrane of all mature T cells and a small proportion of B lymphocytes. Its exact role in immune interactions is still unknown. Studies indicate that CD5 functions both in mice and humans as a receptor, delivering co-stimulatory signals to T cells in a manner similar to CD2 (ref. 11) and CD28 (ref. 12). Anti-CD5 antibodies stimulate both T-cell proliferation mediated by CD3 in association with the T-cell receptor and secretion of interleukin-2 and expression of its receptor, as well as inducing an increase in intracellular Ca2+ concentration (refs 5-10). To identify the ligand for CD5 we purified the human CD5 protein, labelled it with biotin and used it as a probe. Here we report that CD5 specifically interacts with the cell-surface protein CD72 exclusive to B cells. This interaction is blocked by anti-CD72 antibodies, but not by any other anti-B-cell antibodies. Moreover, non-B cells (mouse L-cell fibroblasts and human Jurkat T cells) expressing a transfected human CD72 complementary DNA could bind to the CD5-biotin conjugate. The results demonstrate that the B-cell surface protein CD72 (Lyb-2 in mice) is the ligand for CD5.     

重组Nkx2．5腺病毒的构建及心肌细胞感染实验

利用AdEasy腺病毒表达系统构建了Nkx2．5重组腺病毒．Nkx2．5基因克隆入pAdTrackcmv质粒,pAdTtrackcmv—Nkx2．5经Pme I线性化后转化含pAdEasy-1的BJ5183菌进行同源重组,以构建pAdEsay-Nkx2．5重组质粒．pAdEsay—Nkx2．5转染293A细胞进行病毒包装．以Ad-Nkx2．5重组腺病毒感染Hela及乳鼠心肌细胞,检测了Nkx2．5蛋白表达及对下游ANF和β-MHC基因的表达调控;并采用感染病毒的H9c2心肌细胞经H2O2处理建立细胞凋亡模型,采用噻唑蓝法和荧光染色法检测了细胞存活率和凋亡细胞的形态变化．结果显示,Nkx2．5过表达能抑制H2O2诱导的H9c2细胞凋亡．     

Regulation of antibody isotype secretion by subsets of antigen-specific helper T cells

The regulation of the subclass of immunoglobulin secreted by B cells has been studied in vitro in polyclonal systems using mitogens, such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS), to bypass the requirement for cognate interaction between antigen-specific T and B cells. In these systems, interleukin-(IL)-4 induces the secretion of IgG1 (ref. 1) and IgE (ref. 2); IL-5 enhances the secretion of IgA, and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) enhances the secretion of IgG2a (ref. 5). Clones of murine TH cells can be divided into two subsets, TH1 and TH2 (ref. 6). Both subsets synthesize IL-3 and granulocyte-monocyte colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), but only TH1 clones produce IL-2, IFN-gamma, and lymphotoxin (LT) and TH2 clones produce IL-4 and IL-5 (ref. 7). We have examined the role of clones of antigen-specific TH1 and TH2 cells in the regulation of the subclasses of IgG antibody secreted by antigen-specific B cells. Our results show that both types of TH cells induce the secretion of IgM and IgG3, whereas clones of TH1 and TH2 cells specifically induce antigen-specific B cells to secrete IgG2a and IgG1, respectively. We also demonstrate that regulation of commitment to the secretion of a particular IgG isotype occurs in two distinct stages: cognate interaction between T and B cells and interaction between T-cell-derived lymphokines and B cells.     

2'5' oligo(A) polymerase activity in serum of mice infected with EMC virus or treated with interferon

Interferon-treated cells show an increase in two double-stranded RNA (dsRNA)-dependent enzymatic activities involving an oligoadenylate polymerase and a protein kinase (ref. 1 and refs therein). The polymerase converts ATP into a series of oligonucleotides characterized by 2'5'-phosphodiester bonds, designated 2'5'-oligo(A) or 2-5A (ref. 1). These oligonucleotides activate an endoribonuclease that degrades RNA in extracts of control and interferon-treated cells. These observations have been made in tissue culture cells and no informatin is yet available on these enzymatic activities in animals with elevated interferon levels. We report here on 2-5A synthesis in tissue homogenates and serum of mice infected with encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV); this virus induces interferon synthesis when injected intraperitoneally into mice. Significant synthesis of 2-5A was detected in extracts of spleen and lungs, but also, surprisingly, in the serum of these mice. Subsequent experiments showed synthesis of 2-5A in serum of mice treated with the interferon inducer poly(I) x poly(C) (ref. 3) or with mouse fibroblast interferon.     

Xyloadenosine analogue of (A2'p)2A inhibits replication of herpes simplex viruses 1 and 2

Molecules of the structure ppp(A2'p)2A containing a 2' leads to 5' phosphodiester bond, commonly abbreviated as 2-5A, are synthesized in interferon-treated virally-infected cells and have been implicated in several systems as contributing to interferon's antiviral activity. The 2-5A binds to and subsequently activates an endogenous endonuclease, ultimately resulting in degradation of RNA. We have been interested in the use of 2-5A analogues to achieve antiviral activity without the use of interferon. For this approach to be successful, analogues must be synthesized with an increased stability (native 2-5A is rapidly degraded by cellular phosphodiesterases) and with increased ability to enter intact cells. Removal of the highly-negative charged 5' terminal phosphates from ppp(A2'p)2A results in formation of the 'core' species, (A2'p)2A, which should be able to penetrate intact cells more readily. While Kimchi et al. have shown that 2-5A core has an antimitogenic effect in mouse spleen lymphocytes and 3T3 fibroblasts, Williams and Kerr have reported lack of antiviral activity against Semliki Forest virus or encephalomyocarditis virus by exogenously-administered 2-5A core. We have previously determined that (xyloA2'p)2xyloA (abbreviated as xylo 2-5A core), the xyloadenosine analogue of the 5'-terminally dephosphorylated 2-5A core, is over 100 times more stable than the parent 2-5A core species. We now report that this xylo 2-5A core inhibits replication of herpes simplex viruses 1 and 2 in vitro, with greater than 100 times the activity of the parent 2-5A core. The mechanism of antiviral action of the 2-5A core analogue appears to involve a pathway different from that activated by the parent 5' triphosphorylated 2-5A species.     

Radioimmune, radiobinding and HPLC analysis of 2-5A and related oligonucleotides from intact cells

The enzyme (2-5A synthetase) which synthesizes ppp(A2'p)nA where n=2 to 4 (collectively referred to as 2-5A) is widely distributed in a variety of cells and tissues in amounts which increase response to interferon and vary with growth and hormone status. 2-5A activates a nuclease which inhibits protein synthesis. The non-phosphorylated 'core' of 2-5A ((A2'p)nA, n=2 to 4) can inhibit DNA synthesis and cell growth. Here we describe convenient and sensitive radioimmune (RI) and radiobinding (RB) assays for core and 2-5A. In combination with more satisfactory high performance liquid chromatography (HPCL) methods using reverse-phase C18 columns, these assays have been used to detect core and 2-5A in crude extracts from interferon-treated cells. The novel 2-5A synthetase products NAD2'p5' A2'p5'A and A5'p45'A2'p5'A2'p5'A (ref. 13), which can also be detected using the RB assay, were not found in significant amounts. The natural occurrence of core has not been described previously.     

Disulphide-isomerase-enabled shedding of tumour-associated NKG2D ligands

Tumour-associated ligands of the activating NKG2D (natural killer group 2, member D; also called KLRK1) receptor-which are induced by genotoxic or cellular stress-trigger activation of natural killer cells and co-stimulation of effector T cells, and may thus promote resistance to cancer. However, many progressing tumours in humans counter this anti-tumour activity by shedding the soluble major histocompatibility complex class-I-related ligand MICA, which induces internalization and degradation of NKG2D and stimulates population expansions of normally rare NKG2D+CD4+ T cells with negative regulatory functions. Here we show that on the surface of tumour cells, MICA associates with endoplasmic reticulum protein 5 (ERp5; also called PDIA6 or P5), which, similar to protein disulphide isomerase, usually assists in the folding of nascent proteins inside cells. Pharmacological inhibition of thioreductase activity and ERp5 gene silencing revealed that cell-surface ERp5 function is required for MICA shedding. ERp5 and membrane-anchored MICA form transitory mixed disulphide complexes from which soluble MICA is released after proteolytic cleavage near the cell membrane. Reduction of the seemingly inaccessible disulphide bond in the membrane-proximal alpha3 domain of MICA must involve a large conformational change that enables proteolytic cleavage. These results uncover a molecular mechanism whereby domain-specific deconstruction regulates MICA protein shedding, thereby promoting tumour immune evasion, and identify surface ERp5 as a strategic target for therapeutic intervention.     

Association of the Shc and Grb2/Sem5 SH2-containing proteins is implicated in activation of the Ras pathway by tyrosine kinases.

The mammalian shc gene encodes two overlapping, widely expressed proteins of 46 and 52K, with a carboxy-terminal SH2 domain that binds activated growth factor receptors, and a more amino-terminal glycine/proline-rich region. These shc gene products (Shc) are transforming when overexpressed in fibroblasts. Shc proteins become phosphorylated on tyrosine in cells stimulated with a variety of growth factors, and in cells transformed by v-src (ref. 2), suggesting that they are tyrosine kinase targets that control a mitogenic signalling pathway. Here we report that tyrosine-phosphorylated Shc proteins form a specific complex with a non-phosphorylated 23K polypeptide encoded by the grb2/sem-5 gene. The grb2/sem-5 gene product itself contains an SH2 domain, which mediates binding to Shc, and is implicated in activation of the Ras guanine nucleotide-binding protein by tyrosine kinases in both Caenorhabditis elegans and mammalian cells. Consistent with a role in signalling through Ras, shc overexpression induced Ras-dependent neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells. These results suggest that Shc tyrosine phosphorylation can couple tyrosine kinases to Grb2/Sem-5, through formation of a Shc-Grb2/Sem-5 complex, and thereby regulate the mammalian Ras signalling pathway.     

Microscopic and ultramicroscopic localizations and quantitative analysis of 5-HT receptors in human placentas

The localizations of 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor (5-HTR) at light and electron microscopic levels and its quantitative analysis in human placentas were studied by using immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization. Both syncytiotrophoblast and cytotrophoblast in placental villi and fetal white blood cells in villose capillary cavity showed 5-HT receptor immunoreactivity, with 5-HT 1A receptor mRNA hybridized signal detected in cytoplasm. But the stromal cells and capillary endothelium in placental villi showed 5-HT receptor immunoreactivity in cytoplasm, without 5_HT\-1A receptor mRNA hybridized signal detected. This suggested that two layers of trophoblast cells may produce 5-HT 1 and 5-HT 2 receptors, that the stromal cells and capillary endothelium in placental villi may only produce 5-HT 2 receptor. By immunohistochemistry at electron microscopic level, the small flattened vesicles and large dense cored vesicle within trophoblast cells showed 5-HT receptor immunoreactivity. This suggested that it may be the result of 5-HT receptors internalization and transportion. Using a quantitative immunohistochemical method, the contents of 5-HT receptor in placenta were higher during the 6th week of gestation, and decreased in 7th and 8th, reoccurred the second peak in the 9th, reduced gradually during the 10th, 20th and 40th of the gestation period. These changes paralleled the contents of 5-HT in the authors' studies, reflecting that 5-HT may be one of the most important bioactive substances in placental self-regulation.     

Lymphokine-induced IgM secretion by clones of neoplastic B cells

The induction of antibody secretion by B cells requires T-cell-derived factors1-5. Such factors have been described1,2,6-12 but the precise relationship among these various factors is not clear, and it has been difficult to demonstrate that these factors act directly on the B cell and do not exert their effect via T cells or macrophages. In this report we describe the direct induction of IgM synthesis and secretion in cloned lines of long-term tissue culture adapted neoplastic B cells (BCL1) by T-cell supernatants from phorbol-12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)-induced EL-4 cells or concanavalin A (Con A)-induced 7.1.1a cells5,9. We have termed this activity BCDFmu (B-cell differentiation factor for IgM). The supernatants containing BCDFmu induce activated and neoplastic B cells to secrete IgM5 and the factor responsible is distinct from BCGF13, interleukin-2 (IL-2)5, the classical T-cell replacing factor (TRF) described by Schimpl and Wecker5, and immune interferon (IFN gamma)5.     

A reserve stem cell population in small intestine renders Lgr5-positive cells dispensable

The small intestine epithelium renews every 2 to 5 days, making it one of the most regenerative mammalian tissues. Genetic inducible fate mapping studies have identified two principal epithelial stem cell pools in this tissue. One pool consists of columnar Lgr5-expressing cells that cycle rapidly and are present predominantly at the crypt base. The other pool consists of Bmi1-expressing cells that largely reside above the crypt base. However, the relative functions of these two pools and their interrelationship are not understood. Here we specifically ablated Lgr5-expressing cells in mice using a human diphtheria toxin receptor (DTR) gene knocked into the Lgr5 locus. We found that complete loss of the Lgr5-expressing cells did not perturb homeostasis of the epithelium, indicating that other cell types can compensate for the elimination of this population. After ablation of Lgr5-expressing cells, progeny production by Bmi1-expressing cells increased, indicating that Bmi1-expressing stem cells compensate for the loss of Lgr5-expressing cells. Indeed, lineage tracing showed that Bmi1-expressing cells gave rise to Lgr5-expressing cells, pointing to a hierarchy of stem cells in the intestinal epithelium. Our results demonstrate that Lgr5-expressing cells are dispensable for normal intestinal homeostasis, and that in the absence of these cells, Bmi1-expressing cells can serve as an alternative stem cell pool. These data provide the first experimental evidence for the interrelationship between these populations. The Bmi1-expressing stem cells may represent both a reserve stem cell pool in case of injury to the small intestine epithelium and a source for replenishment of the Lgr5-expressing cells under non-pathological conditions.     

基于双阳极界面修饰层有机太阳能电池研究

为提高有机太阳能电池的能量转换效率,提出一种基于双阳极界面修饰层的有机太阳能电池优化方案。该方法主要采用四氟乙烯( PTFE: Polytetrafluoroethylene) 和五氧化二钒( V2O5: Vanadiumpentoxide) 作为阳极界面修饰层,制备了器件结构为ITO/PTFE/V2O5 /PCDTBT ∶ PC71 BM/LiF/Al 的有机太阳能电池。测试结果表明,引入PTFE/V2O5双阳极界面修饰层的有机太阳能电池的能量转化效率最高可达6． 52%。相比于V2O5单阳极界面修饰层器件效率提高了11． 5%。测试结果证明双阳极界面修饰层的功函数与PCDTBT 材料的HOMO 能级更加匹配,有利于空穴的传输和提取。同时PTFE/V2O5 改善了氧化铟锡( ITO) 表面形貌,减少界面缺陷,抑制了界面处载流子的复合。     

HCV非结构区NS3-5B蛋白的真核表达载体构建及其在BHK-21细胞中的表达

通过PCR方法扩增出HCV NS3-5b全长基因序列,克隆入真核表达载体pIRES2-EGFP中,构建重组质粒pIRES2-EGFP-NS3-5b。利用脂质体将该质粒转染至BHK-21细胞,通过荧光成像和Western Blot检测NS3-5b基因的表达。结果显示成功构建了真核表达质粒pIRES2-EGFP-NS3-5b,并且NS3/4A蛋白和NS5B蛋白得到特异性表达,为下一步建立HCV RdRp活性的细胞评价系统和动物模型评价系统奠定了实验和理论基础。     

Keggin型多钼氧酸盐有机衍生物的电子性质与抗病毒活性的密度泛函理论研究

运用密度泛函理论(DFT)方法研究了Keggin型多酸化合物(C5 H13 N2O2)2(H3O)PMo12 O40,(C5 H14 N2 O2)2 SiMo12 O40和(C5 H14 N2 O2)2 GeMo12 O40的几何结构、氧化还原性质.根据多酸化合物对肿瘤细胞的抗病毒活性与其氧化还原能力的关系,比较了目标...