小鼠谷胱甘肽S转移酶K1启动子荧光素酶报告基因的构建及功能鉴定

目的:构建小鼠谷胱甘肽S转移酶K1(mGSTK1)启动子荧光素酶报告基因质粒,并分析其活性。方法:根据GeneBank中mGSTK1基因序列设计引物,应用PCR技术扩增mGSTK1启动子片段,插入pGL3-basic载体,获得mGSTK1启动子报告基因质粒pGL3-mGSTK1-2046。再以pGL3-mGSTK1-2046为模板,进一步构建了2个5’端部分缺失的报告基因质粒:pGL3-mGSTK1-936和pGL3-mGSTK1-76。将构建的报告基因质粒瞬时转染不同的细胞株3T3-L1和人胚肾(HEK)293,48 h后检测荧光素酶的活性。结果:所构建的质粒经酶切、测序鉴定正确。pGL3-mGSTK1-2046在3T3-L1和HEK293中均有不同程度的转录活性。将pGL3-mGSTK1-2046、pGL3-mGSTK1-936和pGL3-mGSTK1-76转染HEK293细胞,结果显示pGL3-mGSTK1-936转录活性最高,而pGL3-mGSTK1-76转录活性显著降低。结论:成功构建mGSTK1启动子荧光素酶报告基因质粒;翻译起始点上游的-971～-111 bp片段是mGSTK1启动子的重要区域。为深入了解mGSTK1启动子的调控机制以及今后对代谢性疾病的治疗提供一定的实验基础。     

活体荧光成像技术评价X射线对小鼠乳腺癌移植瘤的治疗效果

目的 建立荧光素酶标记的小鼠乳腺癌细胞爪垫淋巴结转移模型,监测肿瘤早期淋巴结转移,并用荧光成像评价X射线局部治疗效果。方法 将表达荧光素酶的小鼠乳腺癌细胞系4T1-Luc接种至裸鼠爪垫皮下,建立爪垫皮下淋巴结转移模型。通过裸鼠活体荧光成像系统连续观察肿瘤细胞在淋巴结中的转移情况,并将有早期淋巴转移的荷瘤裸鼠按随机数字表法分为对照组和治疗组,活体荧光成像系统观察治疗效果,HE染色观察评价病理形态学变化。结果 成功建立了小鼠乳腺癌淋巴结转移模型,爪垫原发灶肿瘤体积与荧光光子数呈正相关性（r=0.958,P<0.001）,在肿瘤接种的第24天,治疗组爪垫肿瘤和腘窝处肿瘤部位的荧光光子数较对照组呈显著性降低（t=32.58,P<0.05）;用荧光光子数计算抑瘤率高达85%以上。HE染色观察到治疗组较对照组移植瘤坏死明显。结论 运用活体生物发光成像技术能够动态、客观、灵敏、可视化地评估X射线对小鼠乳腺癌肿瘤的抑瘤效应。     

雌激素受体亚型介导的荧光素酶报告基因试验方法的建立及应用

目的 建立人源性雌激素受体（hERα/β）介导的荧光素酶报告基因试验方法,比较不同雌激素受体亚型介导的报告基因试验的反应性和灵敏度,为检测内分泌干扰物拟雌激素活性提供研究工具。方法 以恒河猴肾细胞（LLC-MK2）为转染细胞,以萤火虫荧光素酶基因（Luc）为报告基因,利用瞬时转染的方法,将表达hERα/hERβ的质粒与重组Luc报告基因质粒pERE-minP-Luc2P、内对照质粒pGL4.74共转染LLC-MK2细胞,建立由hERα/β介导的Luc报告基因试验方法。以雌二醇(E 2)、己烯雌酚(DES)作为阳性受试物,以10-5 mol/L 雌激素拮抗剂（ICI 182,780）和不同浓度的E 2共同染毒,观察Luc表达的变化。用双酚A（BPA）和染料木黄酮（GS）对方法的有效性进行检验并比较雌激素受体两亚型反应性、灵敏度和特异性。结果 hERα报告基因系统对E 2的最低检测限为1.9×10-11 mol/L,在10-8 mol/L处获得最高诱导倍数,是对照组的30.7倍。hERβ报告基因系统对E 2的最低检测限为2.2×10-11 mol/L,在10-8 mol/L处获得最高诱导倍数,是对照组的14.4倍。ICI 182,780在10-5 mol/L浓度下能显著抑制两个报告基因系统E 2的雌激素活性。未转染受体表达载体hER-pcDNA3.1的LLC-MK2细胞用不同浓度E 2诱导,两个报告基因系统均与E 2无明显反应。BPA和GS在以上两个不同的报告基因系统中均能诱导Luc表达,但同一受试物在不同雌激素亚型介导的报告基因系统中表达倍数不同。结论 本研究建立ER不同亚型的报告基因试验有较高的灵敏度和重复性。hERα介导的报告基因试验灵敏度高于hERβ,在hERα系统中BPA雌激素活性强于GS,在hERβ系统中GS雌激素活性强于BPA。     

Protective effects of anti-ricin A-chain RNA aptamer against ricin toxicity

AIM： To investigate the therapeutic potential of an RNA ligand （aptamer） specific for the catalytic ricin A-chain （RTA）, the protective effects of a 31-nucleo- tide RNA aptamer （31RA）, which formed a high affinity complex with RTA, against ricin-induced toxicity in cell- based luciferase translation and cell cytotoxicity assays were evaluated. METHODS： To test the therapeutic potential of anti- RTA aptamers in Chinese hamster ovary （CliO） AA8 cells stably transfected with a tetracycline regulatable promoter, ricin ribotoxicity was measured us- ing luciferase and ricin-induced cytotoxicity was ascertained by MTS cell proliferation assay with tet- razolium compound [3-（4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl）- 5-（3-carboxymethoxyphenyl）-2-（4-sulfophenyl）-2H- tetrazolium]. RESULTS： Inhibition of protein synthesis by ricin in CliO AA8 cells resulted in diminished luciferase activity and treatment with polyclonal antibody against degly- cosylated RTA （dgA） neutralized the inhibitory effects of ricin on luciferase activity and protected against ricin-induced cytotoxicity as measured by MTS assay. The 31RA anti-RTA aptamer inhibited the translation of luciferase mRNA in cell-free reticulocyte translation assay. 31RA aptamer also partially neutralized the inhibitory effects of ricin on luciferase activity and partially protected against ricin-induced cytotoxicity in CliO AA8 cells. CONCLUSION： We have shown that anti-RTA RNA aptamer can protect against ricin ribotoxicity in cell- based luciferase and cell cytotoxicity assays. Hence, RNA aptamer that inhibits RTA enzymatic activity represents a novel class of nucleic acid inhibitor that has the potential to be developed as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of ricin intoxication.     

Cox‐2 gene expression in chemically induced skin papillomas cannot predict subsequent tumor fate

Elevated cyclooxygenase‐2 (COX‐2) expression is observed in a variety of premalignant neoplastic tissues, suggesting COX‐2 expression might serve as a potential indicator of subsequent tumor development. However, it has not been possible to compare the relationship between Cox‐2 gene expression in premalignant lesions and their subsequent fate, because conventional studies require tissue destruction for analysis of gene expression. To monitor COX‐2 expression non‐invasively during tumor development, we created a Cox‐2 luciferase knock‐in mouse, Cox‐2luc, in which the firefly luciferase coding region replaces the Cox‐2 coding region. Luciferase activity was non‐invasively, quantitatively and repeatedly monitored in Cox‐2luc/+ mice subjected to DMBA/TPA multistage skin tumor induction. Luciferase activity is significantly higher in all papillomas than in surrounding skin. However, the magnitude of Cox‐2 promoter‐driven luciferase activity in small papillomas cannot predict subsequent papilloma regression or growth. Elevated Cox‐2 promoter‐driven luciferase signal can be detected when papillomas first become visible, but not before this time.     

小鼠活体内hMSCs干细胞生物发光示踪监测

目的:利用慢病毒载体转染和生物发光技术实时监测小鼠活体内人骨髓间充质干细胞(hMSCs)。方法:构建萤火虫荧光素酶(LUC)慢病毒载体,转染hMSCs后注射到小鼠皮下,(IVIS)生物发光成像系统连续检测体外hMSCs和小鼠注射部位的发光强度。结果:1.慢病毒载体对hMSCs的转染率为(29.6±1.5)%,转染后20代的hMSCs仍稳定表达LUC;2.慢病毒载体对hMSCs的生长和增值没有影响;3.小鼠活体内生物发光强度与注射细胞数量成正比(R2=0.9826);4.小鼠活体内生物发光时间持续6d。结论:可利用慢病毒载体转染LUC对小鼠活体内移植的hMSCs进行生物发光示踪监测。     

小鼠高迁移率族蛋白B1启动子的构建与转录活性检测

【目的】构建小鼠高迁移率族蛋白B1(high-mobility group box 1 protein,HMGB1)启动子全长序列的荧光素酶报告基因用于药物筛选。【方法】采用PCR技术扩增小鼠HMGB1基因启动子全长序列,用GV238载体构建报告质粒GV238-HMGB1-P-Luc,以pGL3-basic作为阴性对照质粒,与内参质粒pRL共转染Hela细胞,以内毒素(LPS,0.2μg/mL)作为激活剂,以正丁酸钠(SB,10 mmol/L)作为抑制剂,分组处理24 h后检测荧光素酶活性。【结果】经酶切、PCR及测序鉴定证实克隆的HMGB1基因启动子全长2 140 bp,DNA序列正确无突变。与pGL3-basic组比较,GV238-HMGB1-P-Luc组荧光素酶活性显著增强(P0.05);与GV238-HMGB1-P-Luc组比较,LPS组荧光素酶活性显著增强(P0.01);与LPS组比较,SB组荧光素酶活性显著降低(P0.01)。【结论】HMGB1基因启动子报告基因构建成功,LPS可以增强其表达,SB则可以抑制LPS刺激下的HMGB1启动子表达增强,可为下一步筛选具有调控HMGB1启动子活性的药物奠定基础。     

人多巴胺D2受体基因内含子区51103T/C多态性对基因转录活性的影响

目的探讨人多巴胺D2受体（DRD2）基因第3内含子区51103 bp位点单核苷酸多态性（rs2075652）对DRD2基因转录活性的影响,进一步揭示DRD2基因第3内含子区的单核苷酸多态性影响创伤后应激障碍发病风险的分子机制。方法以人全血基因组DNA为模板,扩增DRD2基因第3内含子区序列（399 bp）,51103 bp处分别为T或C,与报告基因载体pmir Glo相连接,构建重组荧光素酶表达载体,经限制性内切酶酶切及测序得以鉴定,然后分别与pRL-CMV共转染人胚肾癌细胞株HEK293,检测细胞中荧光素酶的相对表达量。结果双酶切及测序结果证实成功构建重组质粒pmir Glo-T/pmir Glo-C,荧光素酶检测结果显示,当第3内含子区51103 bp位点为C时荧光素酶活性显著高于为T时（P〈0.01）。结论成功构建了pmir Glo-T/pmir Glo-C报告基因重组质粒,DRD2基因第3内含子区rs2075652位点由T突变为C后,可能增强基因转录活性,该结果为进一步研究DRD2基因内含子区的功能奠定了基础。