Roles of MAP kinase signaling pathway in oocyte meiosis

Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) is a family of Ser/Thr protein kinases expressed widely in eukaryotic cells. MAPK is activated by a cascade of protein kinase phosphorylation and plays pivotal roles in regulating meiosis process in oocytes. As an important physical substrate of MAPK, p90^rsk mediates numerous MAPK functions. MAPK was activated at G2/M transition during meiosis. Its activity reached the peak at MⅠ stage and maintained at this level until the time before the pronuclear formation after fertilization. There is complex interplay between MAPK and MPF in the meiosis regulation. Furthermore, other intracellular signal transducers, such as cAMP, protein kinase C and protein phosphotase, ect., also regulated the activity of MAPK at different stages during meiosis in oocytes. In the present article, the roles of MAPK signaling pathway in oocyte meiosis are reviewed and discussed.     

Regulation of mouse blastocyst adhesion,outgrowth and matrix metalloproteinase—2 by focal adhesion kinase

The interaction of extracellular matrix-integrin markedly influences the adhesion,outgrowth,differentiation and expression of serine proteinases by the blastocyst,so it is regarded as a vital factor in blastocyst implantation.Although the mechanism of extracellular interactions between extracellular matrix and integrins has been well elucidated,the roles of the signaling molecules in the extracellular matrix-integrin signal transduction pathway in blastocyst implantation are unknown.This limits the understanding of blastocyst implantation and ECM-integrin signal transduction pathway.In the present study,in vitro blastocyst culture and indirect immunocytochemistry,matrix metalloproteinases(MMPs) zymography and antisense oligodeoxynucleotide(ODN) were used to investigate the expression of a fundamental molecule of integrin-dependent signal transduction pathways,focal adhesion kinase(FAK),in mouse blastocysts and its influence on mouse blastocyst adhesion,outgrowth and MMP-2.The results showed that mouse blastocysts expressed FAK.FAK protein was clustered in the peripheral migrating trophoblast cells and dispersed in the central area of blastocyst outgrowth.Fibronectin triggered pro-MMP-2 and 64kD MMP-2 activities.The antisense ODN to FAK attnuated pro-MMP-2 and 64kD MMP-2 activites which decreased abruptly and tended to disappear with increasting concentrations of the antisense ODN.Both mouse blastocyst adhesion and outgrowth on fibronectin were also influenced by the antisense ODN.Up to 20μg/mL of the antisense ODN concentration,the adhesion and out-growth rates were decreased in a dose-dependent manner.The results indicated that FAK influenced mouse blastocyst adhesion,outgrowth and MMP-2 activity by intracellular signal transduction.In other words,FAK regulates mouse implantation in terms of blastocyst adhesive and invasive abilities.     

酪氨酸激酶抑制剂在肿瘤治疗中的研究进展

恶性肿瘤正一直严重威胁着人类生命，尽管诊断和治疗水平有所进步，但很多肿瘤生存率一直很低。近年来随着科学的发展，我们对肿瘤的生物学特性有了更深一步的认识。人类蛋白酪氨酸激酶（PTKs）在肿瘤的发生发展过程中起着非常重要的作用，它已成为一种很有前景的肿瘤治疗新靶点。PTKs抑制剂研究已成为当今世界抗肿瘤研究的热点领域，这些药物在临床前期研究中已显示很好的抗肿瘤效应，一些正在临床上作为很有前景的抗癌药。特别是BCR-ABL酪氨酸激酶抑制剂imatinib（STI571）在治疗慢性髓细胞白血病显著成功使得科学家们更热心于投入这一领域的研究，目前，至少有30多种酪氨酸激酶抑制剂在肿瘤治疗的不同临床试验阶段，大约120多个临床试验正在世界范围内进行。在此对酪氨酸激酶在肿瘤中的作用及酪氨酸激酶抑制剂在肿瘤治疗中的研究进展作一综述。     

MAPK信号转导通路与HCMV感染

MAPK信号转导通路参与了HCMV的感染过程.MAPK通路中的ERK和p38通路在HCMV复制周期中起重要作用,它通过磷酸化转录因子引起病毒及宿主相关基因的转录,从而调控HCMV的复制.HCMV的包膜糖蛋白及其他多种基因表达产物可通过不同的机制以一定时序激活MAPK通路,调节自身及宿主细胞相应基因表达,以利于病毒完成其生活周期,并参与病毒的致病过程.深入研究MAPK信号转导通路与HCMV感染的关系可为治疗HCMV感染引起的疾病提供新的治疗靶点.     

The effect of a phorbol ester upon the cholinergic regulation of potassium permeability in the rat submandibular gland

Acetylcholine releases calcium from cytoplasmic stores and permits an influx of calcium in salivary acinar cells. The resultant rise in [Ca²⁺]_i causes an increase in potassium permeability which is an important part of the secretory response. We have investigated the effects of 12-0-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate, a potent activator of protein kinase C, upon this regulation of potassium permeability in superfused pieces of rat submandibular salivary gland. This compound inhibited the initial [Ca²⁺]_o-independent component of the response of acetylcholine but had no effect upon the subsequent [Ca²⁺]_o-dependent phase. This compound does not, therefore, appear to inhibit receptor-regulated calcium influx.     

Molecular characterization of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Arabidopsis</Emphasis> PHO80-like proteins,a novel class of CDKA;1-interacting cyclins

Cyclins are regulatory proteins that interact with cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) to control progression through the cell cycle. In Arabidopsis thaliana, 34 cyclin genes have been described, grouped into five different types (A, B, D, H, and T). A novel class of seven cyclins was isolated and characterized in Arabidopsis, designated P-type cyclins (CYCPs). They all share a conserved central region of 100 amino acids (cyclin box) displaying homology to the corresponding region of the PHO80 cyclin from Saccharomyces cerevisiae and the related G1 cyclins from Trypanosoma cruzi and T. brucei. The CYCP4;2 gene was able to partially re-establish the phosphate-dependent expression of the PHO5 gene in a pho80 mutant strain of yeast. The CYCPs interact preferentially with CDKA;1 in vivo and in vitro as shown by yeast two-hybrid analysis and co-immunoprecipitation experiments. P-type cyclins were mostly expressed in proliferating cells, albeit also in differentiating and mature tissues. The possible role of CYCPs in linking cell division, cell differentiation, and the nutritional status of the cell is discussed.Received 9 February 2004; received after revision 18 March; accepted 19 April 2004