The cytotoxicity of eosinophil cationic protein/ribonuclease 3 on eukaryotic cell lines takes place through its aggregation on the cell membrane

Human eosinophil cationic protein (ECP)/ ribonuclease 3 (RNase 3) is a protein secreted from the secondary granules of activated eosinophils. Specific properties of ECP contribute to its cytotoxic activities associated with defense mechanisms. In this work the ECP cytotoxic activity on eukaryotic cell lines is analyzed. The ECP effects begin with its binding and aggregation to the cell surface, altering the cell membrane permeability and modifying the cell ionic equilibrium. No internalization of the protein is observed. These signals induce cell-specific morphological and biochemical changes such as chromatin condensation, reversion of membrane asymmetry, reactive oxygen species production and activation of caspase-3-like activity and, eventually, cell death. However, the ribonuclease activity component of ECP is not involved in this process as no RNA degradation is observed. In summary, the cytotoxic effect of ECP is attained through a mechanism different from that of other cytotoxic RNases and may be related with the ECP accumulation associated with the inflammatory processes, in which eosinophils are present. Received 26 October 2007; accepted 23 November 2007     

Myosin V from head to tail

Myosin V (myoV), a processive cargo transporter, has arguably been the most well-studied unconventional myosin of the past decade. Considerable structural information is available for the motor domain, the IQ motifs with bound calmodulin or light chains, and the cargo-binding globular tail, all of which have been crystallized. The repertoire of adapter proteins that link myoV to a particular cargo is becoming better understood, enabling cellular transport processes to be dissected. MyoV is processive, meaning that it takes many steps on actin filaments without dissociating. Its extended lever arm results in long 36-nm steps, making it ideal for single molecule studies of processive movement. In addition, electron microscopy revealed the structure of the inactive, folded conformation of myoV when it is not transporting cargo. This review provides a background on myoV, and highlights recent discoveries that show why myoV will continue to be an active focus of investigation. Received 31 October 2007; received after revision 4 December 2007; accepted 2 January 2008     

The utility F-box for protein destruction

A signature feature of all living organisms is their utilization of proteins to construct molecular machineries that undertake the complex network of cellular activities. The abundance of a protein element is temporally and spatially regulated in two opposing aspects: de novo synthesis to manufacture the required amount of the protein, and destruction of the protein when it is in excess or no longer needed. One major route of protein destruction is coordinated by a set of conserved molecules, the F-box proteins, which promote ubiquitination in the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. Here we discuss the functions of F-box proteins in several cellular scenarios including cell cycle progression, synapse formation, plant hormone responses, and the circadian clock. We particularly emphasize the mechanisms whereby F-box proteins recruit specific substrates and regulate their abundance in the context of SCF E3 ligases. For some exceptions, we also review how F-box proteins function through non-SCF mechanisms.     

The three-fingered protein domain of the human genome

Extracellular domains of some cellular receptors expressed in the organisms at different levels of development belong to three-fingered protein (TFP) fold. The Homo sapiens genome encodes at least 45 genes containing from one to three TFP domains (TFPDs), namely diverse paralogues of the Ly6 gene, CD59 and the receptors of activins, bone morphogenetic proteins, Mullerian inhibiting substance and transforming growth factor-β. C4.4a and urokinase/plasminogen activatory receptor contain two and three TFPD repeats, respectively. These diverse proteins have a low overall sequence similarity with each other and their hydrophobicity levels vary to a considerable degree. It is suggested that sequence differentiation within the TFPD led to distinct groups of proteins whose attributes were optimized to fit both the physicochemical properties specific to their functional microenvironment and selective targeting of their highly diversified extracellular cofactors. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. Received 7 August 2008; accepted 29 August 2008     

恶性肿瘤中IGFBP-rP1的抑癌基因作用机制及其可能的临床实用价值

胰岛素样生长因子结合蛋白相关蛋白1(IGFBP-rP1)是近年来恶性肿瘤的研究热点.本文主要综述IGFBP-rP1在恶性肿瘤中的抑癌基因作用机制及可能的临床实用价值.IGFBP-rP1在恶性肿瘤中的作用广泛涉及细胞的增殖、衰老、凋亡、分化、血管生成等多方面,研究指出IGFBP-rP1可缩短细胞增殖周期并影响非停泊性生长从而抑制增殖,降低致瘤能力;调节BRAF-MEKERK信号通路及pRB、HSP60等相关蛋白的表达从而影响衰老及凋亡;主要通过IGF依赖方式抑制血管生成;而且IGFBP-rP1表达下降跟肿瘤细胞分化程度降低有关.研究显示IGFBP-rP1有一定的临床实用价值,如其表达量跟恶性肿瘤的进展相关,低表达提示某些化疗药物抵抗,可提示预后.而在恶性肿瘤中特异性地上调IGFBP-rP1,可抑制肿瘤增殖及血管生成、诱导细胞衰老凋亡、提高肿瘤分化程度及化疗敏感性,具有治疗意义,但研究者们还在努力探究,争取早日找到一种临床有效的靶向IGFBP-rP1的基因治疗方法.     

P16及COX-2蛋白在宫颈癌中表达及意义

目的 探讨P16及COX-2蛋白在宫颈癌中表达及意义.方法 收集宫颈活检或手术标本138例,采用免疫组织化学方法分别检测P16及COX-2蛋白的表达,并分析结果.结果 正常宫颈组织、宫颈低级别上皮内瘤变(LSIL)、宫颈高级别上皮内瘤变(HSIL)、宫颈癌中P16蛋白阳性表达分别为0％(0/30)、42.3％ (11/26)、71.9％(23/32)、92％(46/50).COX-2蛋白阳性表达分别为3.3％(1/30)、50％(13/26)、75％(24/32)、88％ (44/50).随着宫颈病变分级升高,P16及COX-2蛋白阳性率逐渐上升,统计学差异有显著性(p＜0.05);结论 P16及COX-2的高表达在宫颈癌的发生、发展中均起作用.     

制备蛋白A单分子膜层装配抗体构建肿瘤标志物检测芯片

免疫分析方法主要依赖于固定在固相基底上的抗体对相应抗原的特异性识别, 抗体在固相基底上固定后最大程度保持生物学活性是设计免疫分析方法的关键技术. 本研究利用在疏水性硅基底表面制备蛋白A单分子膜层可以特异结合抗体的Fc端, 进而实现对抗体的定向化装配, 进一步构建格式化阵列用于肿瘤标志物检测. 研究结果表明, 制备的蛋白A单分子膜层的厚度为1.8±0.6 nm, 抗体可以经蛋白A单分子膜层实现定向化装配, 由此设计的传感阵列检测肿瘤标志物甲胎蛋白(alpha-fetoprotein, AFP)可以实现1.0 ng/mL的灵敏度, 血清检测结果与电化学法(ECLIA)测定进行统计学检验没有显著性差异(P>0.05).     

鱼血清蛋白质的微型双相电泳分析

本文采用改进的微型双相电泳系统，对兴国红鲤、草鱼及其杂交鱼血清蛋白质进行了分析，获得较清晰而稳定的结果，分析得出杂交鱼的血清蛋白质的组成更接近于父本草鱼。实验表明微型双相电泳是进行鱼类血清蛋白质分析的灵敏而有效的方法。