反义基因逆转肿瘤细胞多药耐药性和诱导细胞凋亡的研究

探讨克服肿瘤细胞多药耐药（ＭＤＲ１）性的方法,提高化疗效果。本文采用多药耐药反义基因（ＭＤＲ１－ＲＳＰＳ－ＯＤＮ）逆转Ｋ５６２／ＡＤＭ肿瘤细胞的ＭＤＲ１,诱导肿瘤细胞凋亡,发现ＭＤＲ１－ＡＳＰＳ－ＯＤＮ诱导Ｋ５６２／ＡＤＭ细胞株细胞产生大量ＤＮＡ断片,ＦＡＣＳ检测发现几乎全部ＭＲＤ＋Ｋ５６２／ＡＤＭ细胞发生凋亡。其结果表明ＤＭＤＲ１－ＡＳＰＳ－ＯＤＮ能有效、特异地抑制ＭＤＲ１基因表达,逆转肿瘤细胞的ＭＤＲ１,促进阿霉素诱导ＭＤＲ＋１Ｋ５６２／ＡＤＭ细胞凋亡,为其临床应用提供理论依据     

聚乙烯亚胺介导生存素反义核酸体外投递肝癌SMMC-7721细胞的条件优化

目的:探讨聚乙烯亚胺(polyethylene im ine,PEI)作为生存素(survivin)反义核酸(anti-sense oligodeoxynuc leotides,ASODN)的载体投递肝癌SMMC-7721细胞的条件。方法:凝胶阻滞实验筛选PEI与survivin ASODN形成静电复合物的最佳质量比;W ST-8法检测PEI对肝癌细胞的毒性;流式细胞仪及W ST-8法筛选荧光标记的PEI与ASODN在不同质量比时的瞬时转染效率及48 h转染效率;流式细胞仪及荧光显微镜分别检测荧光标记的ASODN以及PEI-ASODN复合物进入细胞的情况;W ST-8法检测血清对PEI转染效率的影响。结果:m(PEI)∶m(ASODN)为0.625∶1~2.5∶1时可以形成电中性状态的静电复合物;PEI终质量浓度≤4μg/mL对肝癌细胞的毒性较小;m(PEI)∶m(ASODN)为0.75∶1时转染效率最高;血清存在对PEI转染效率无明显影响。结论:PEI是一种低毒的ASODN投递载体,其终质量浓度≤4μg/mL可作为肝癌细胞的转染载体,血清条件下m(PEI)∶m(ASODN)为0.75∶1时,PEI携带sur...     

Two closely linked rice U14 boxC/D snoRNAs

By analysis of the conserved elements in yeast U14 boxC/D snoRNA. the conserved elements in rice U14 boxC/D snoRNA have been speculated. Through computer search of the international rice genome database, two rice U14 snoRNA gene candidates are obtained. These two putative U14 snoRNA genes are closely linked on rice chromosome 2. The coding sequences of these two snoR-NAs exhibit the hallmark structure of boxC/D antisense snoRNA. They both have conserved boxC and boxD sequences and a 14nt-long complement to the sequence between 414nt and 427nt of rice 18S rRNA (according to GenBank accession no. X00755). The experimental evidence shows that these two snoRNAs are involved in the methylation of the complementary sequence of rice 18S rRNA. The existence and localization of these two snoRNAs are proved by RT-PCR and Northern blot. Further analysis shows that both of the newly found rice snoRNAs have high homology with maize U14 snoRNA. and they are named rice U14.1 snoRNA and U14.2 snoRNA respectively. The gene sequence encoding these two snoRNAs has been deposited in the GenBank database under accession number of AF332622.     

Alternative splicing of Bcl-2-related genes: functional consequences and potential therapeutic applications

Apoptosis is a morphologically distinct form of cell death. It is executed and regulated by several groups of proteins. Bcl-2 family proteins are the main regulators of the apoptotic process acting either to inhibit or promote it. More than 20 members of the family have been identified so far and most have two or more isoforms. Alternative splicing is one of the major mechanisms providing proteomic complexity and functional diversification of the Bcl-2 family proteins. Pro- and anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family members should function in harmony for the regulation of the apoptosis machinery, and their relative levels are critical for cell fate. Any mechanism breaking down this harmony by changing the relative levels of these antagonistic proteins could contribute to many diseases, including cancer and neurodegenerative disorders. Recent studies have shown that manipulation of the alternative splicing mechanisms could provide an opportunity to restore the proper balance of these regulator proteins. This review summarises current knowledge on the alternative splicing products of Bcl-2-related genes and modulation of splicing mechanisms as a potential therapeutic approach.Received 5 January 2004; received after revision 31 March 2004; accepted 6 April 2004     

cDNA cloning and functional analysis of 4-coumarate --CoA: ligase (4CL) gene in Chinese white aspen

cDNA encoding 4-coumarate: CoA ligase (4CL) was isolated from the secondary developing xylem of Chinese white aspen (Populus tomentosa) by RT-PCR for the first time, which was 1619 bp in length. The coding sequence and putative amino acid sequence showed 97.53% and 97.00% identity to that of Pt4CL1 in quaking aspen (P. tremuloids), respectively. Molecular analysis indicated that 4CL was encoded by multiple genes in P.tomentosa, its mRNA was highly accumulated in xylem and the expression of 4CL revealed a biphasic pattern in one growing season, almost in phase with the expression of other related enzymes in lignin biosynthesis. Transgenic research showed that expression of antisense 4CL cDNA led to the decreasing of lignin content in transgenic tobaccos, among which the average reduction was 10.3% and the highest could be up to 18.9%. These data suggested that 4CL gene was a potential gene used in altering lignin biosynthesis by biotechnology for producing new materials of papermaking.     

Study on peptide-peptide interaction using high-performance affinity chromatography and quartz crystal microbalance biosensor

The specific interaction between sense and antisense peptides was studied by high-performance affinity chromatography （HPAC） and quartz crystal microbalance （QCM） biosensor. Fragment 1-14 of human interferon-β （hlFN-βwas chosen as sense peptide and its three antisense peptides （AS-IFN 1, AS-IFN 2, and AS-IFN 3） were designed according to the degeneracy of genetic codes. The affinity column was prepared with sense peptide as ligand and the affinity chromatographic behavior was evaluated. Glu-substituted antisense peptide （AS-IFN 3） showed the strongest binding to immobilized sense peptide at pH 7.5. A quartz crystal microbalance-flow injection analysis （QCM-FIA） system was introduced to investigate the recognition process in real-time. The equilibrium dissociation constants between sense peptide and AS-IFN 1, AS-IFN 2 and AS-IFN 3 measured 2.08×10^-4, 1.31×10^-4 and 2.22×10^-5 mol/L, respectively. The mechanism study indicated that the specific recognition between sense peptide and AS-IFN 3 was due to sequence-dependent and multi-modal affinity interaction.     

Effects of CIITA antisense RNA on the expression of HLA class II molecules

To study the effect of the major histocompatibility complex class II (MHC II) transactivator (CIITA) antisense RNA on the expression of the human leukemia (HLA) class II molecules, 5′ end cDNA sequence of CIITA gene was cloned, and antisense RNA expression vector pcDNA-II was constructed. HeLa cells transfected with pcDNA-II and pcDNA3 were induced by IFN-γ for 3 d. The expression of HLA class II molecules on HeLa/pcDNA-II cells was significantly decreased, while it has no effect on the expression of HLA class I molecules. This result suggests that the CIITA antisense RNA can inhibit the expression of HLA class II molecules in HeLa cells. It also implies a promising approach to generate immune tolerance in graft transplantation.     

Identification and characterization of two novel box HACA snoRNAs from Schizosaccharomyces pombe

Through constructing a specialized cDNA library based on small RNAs isolated from partial purified nuclei of Schizosaccharomyces pombe, two novel noncoding RNAs, termed Sp15-70 and Sp18-61, have been identified. Bioinformatics analysis reveals that both the novel RNAs possess a typical secondary structure of box HACA snoRNA and antisense elements to rRNAs. According to the relationship between the structure and function of box HACA snoRNA, Sp15-70 was predicted to direct pseudouridylation in 25S rRNA at U2401 and U2298; Sp18-61 was predicted to direct pseudouridylation in 18S rRNA at U208 and 25S rRNA at U2341. The four predicted pseudouridylation sites were all verified experimentally by the CMC-primer extension analysis. Both Sp15-70 and Sp18-61 were encoded by single copies which were located in the intergenic regions between the CDS of two protein-coding genes on chromosome Ⅰ and Ⅲ of S. pombe, respectively. Putative TATA-like elements can be found upstream from the 5′ end of these snoRNA genes, suggesting that they could be transcribed from their own promoters. Comparison of the two snoRNAs and their functional homologues in diverse organisms reveals that extensive recombinations among different snoRNAs have occurred during the evolution from their primitive progenitors.     

Antisense expression of a rice cellular apoptosis susceptibility gene (OsCAS} alters the height of transgenic rice

Cellular apoptosis susceptibility (CAS) gene plays important roles in mitosis, development and export of importin a from the nucleus, but its function in plant is unknown. In this study, a rice CAS ortholog (OsCAS), which encodes a predicted protein of 983 amino acids with 62% similarity to human CAS, was identified. DNA gel blot analysis revealed a single copy of OsCAS in the rice genome. A 973 bp fragment at the 3' end of OsCAS cDNA was cloned from rice cDNA library and transferred into rice in the antisense direction under the control of CaMV 35S promoter via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation method, 105 transgenic lines were obtained. Expression of OsCAS was suppressed in the antisense transgenic lines as revealed by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. The antisense transgenic lines showed dwarf phenotypes. The results indicated that OsCAS was involved in culm development of rice.