Notch3信号通路介导SAHA诱导的小细胞肺癌H446细胞凋亡

目的:观察辛二酰苯胺异羟肟酸(suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid,SAHA)对人小细胞肺癌H446细胞凋亡的影响,并探讨其分子机制。方法:选取人小细胞肺癌H446细胞作为研究对象,采用CCK-8法检测SAHA的细胞毒作用并测定IC50,采用流式细胞术检测细胞凋亡,转染N3ICD真核表达质粒构建高表达N3ICD的H446细胞系,采用RT-PCR法检测Notch3的mRNA水平,采用Western blot法检测Notch3、N3ICD、Puma和cleaved caspase-3的蛋白水平。结果:SAHA可显著降低H446细胞存活率且呈剂量依赖性(P0.05),SAHA作用48 h的IC50为1.91μmol/L;SAHA可诱导H446细胞凋亡且具有剂量依赖性(P0.05);H446细胞中Notch3基因表达呈阴性,SAHA可使H446细胞Notch3基因恢复表达并激活Notch3信号通路(P0.05);沉默Notch3基因可抑制SAHA对H446细胞的促凋亡作用(P0.05);N3ICD高表达使H446细胞中Puma和cleaved caspase-3蛋白水平升高(P0.01)。结论:在体外SAHA可激活人小细胞肺癌H446细胞Notch3信号通路,上调Puma蛋白表达水平,诱导H446细胞凋亡。     

Gamma-secretase complex-dependent intramembrane proteolysis of CD147 regulates the Notch1 signaling pathway in hepatocellular carcinoma

The γ-secretase complex is a presenilin-dependent aspartyl protease involved in the intramembranous cleavage of various type I transmembrane proteins. As a type I transmembrane protein, CD147 is highly expressed in hepatoma cells and promotes cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. However, the direct underlying mechanism of how CD147 promotes cancer cell proliferation is unknown. Here, we demonstrated that CD147 undergoes an intramembranous cleavage by the γ-secretase at lysine 231 to release its intracellular domains (ICDs). The nuclear translocation of the CD147ICD regulated Notch1 expression by directly binding to the NOTCH1 promoter and promoted the activation of the Notch signaling pathway. Simultaneously, overexpression of CD147ICD promoted cancer cell proliferation via Notch1 signaling. In 102 cases of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissues, patients with a high positive rate of nuclear CD147ICD expression had a significantly poor overall survival compared with patients with a low positive rate of nuclear CD147ICD expression. We confirmed that nuclear CD147ICD predicted a poor prognosis in human HCC. The combined therapy of the γ-secretase complex inhibitor and CD147-directed antibody showed better efficacy than monotherapy in orthotopic transplantation HCC mouse models. In conclusion, CD147 is cleaved by the γ-secretase and releases CD147ICD to the cell nucleus, promoting Notch1 expression via direct binding to the NOTCH1 promoter. © 2019 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Notch2 signaling induces apoptosis and inhibits human MDA-MB-231 xenograft growth

Notch functions as an oncogene or tumor inhibitor in various cancers, and decreases in Notch2 expression are associated with increasing grade of human breast cancer. We constitutively activated Notch signaling with intracellular domain (ICD) expression in the human adenocarcinoma line MDA-MB-231. Notch2 signaling increased apoptosis, whereas Notch4ICD (int3) significantly increased cell proliferation and growth. Cells with activated Notch2 or Notch4 were injected into nu/nu mice for analysis of in vivo tumor xenograft phenotype. Tumor growth was significantly altered depending on the receptor activated. Notch2ICD potently suppressed tumor take and growth, leading to a 60% decrease in tumors and significantly smaller, necrotic tumors. Despite this, Notch2ICD tumors were highly vascularized, although the vessels were smaller and comprised a more immature network compared with Notch4ICD tumors. Notch4ICD tumors were highly aggressive and well vascularized, indicating a role for Notch4 signaling in the promotion of the malignant phenotype in addition to its transforming ability. Although both NotchICD groups expressed angiogenic factors, Notch4ICD had selective vascular endothelial growth factor-D in both tumor and host stroma, suggesting a differential regulation of cytokines that may impact vascular recruitment and autocrine tumor signaling. Our results demonstrate that Notch2 signaling is a potent inhibitory signal in human breast cancer xenografts.     

The zinc finger protein ZPR1 is a potential modifier of spinal muscular atrophy

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is caused by mutation of the Survival Motor Neurons 1 (SMN1) gene and is characterized by degeneration of spinal motor neurons. The severity of SMA is primarily influenced by the copy number of the SMN2 gene. Additional modifier genes that lie outside the SMA locus exist and one gene that could modify SMA is the Zinc Finger Protein (ZPR1) gene. To test the significance of ZPR1 downregulation in SMA, we examined the effect of reduced ZPR1 expression in mice with mild and severe SMA. We report that the reduced ZPR1 expression causes increase in the loss of motor neurons, hypermyelination in phrenic nerves, increase in respiratory distress and disease severity and reduces the lifespan of SMA mice. The deficiency of SMN-containing sub-nuclear bodies correlates with the severity of SMA. ZPR1 is required for the accumulation of SMN in sub-nuclear bodies. Further, we report that ZPR1 overexpression increases levels of SMN and promotes accumulation of SMN in sub-nuclear bodies in SMA patient fibroblasts. ZPR1 stimulates neurite growth and rescues axonal growth defects in SMN-deficient spinal cord neurons from SMA mice. These data suggest that the severity of disease correlates negatively with ZPR1 levels and ZPR1 may be a protective modifier of SMA.     

Rab5在胰腺癌细胞BxPC3中对Notch1活性的调节

目的 本研究拟阐明内吞调节蛋白Rab5在Notch活化中的作用.方法 用RNA干扰的方法抑制BxPC3细胞中Rab5蛋白的表达,用Western blot测定Notch1活性型Notch ICD的表达.用Wortmannin和LY294002抑制PI3激酶的活性,观察Notch活性的变化.结果 抑制Rab5蛋白的表达,或者抑制PI3激酶的活性后,Notch1的活性型Notch ICD的表达量均显著下降,同时BxPC3细胞的生长受到抑制.结论 在胰腺癌细胞BxPC3中内吞调节蛋白质Bab5和PI3激酶在Notch活化中起着关键的作用,提示Notch的活化依赖于内吞.     

Portrayal of the Notch system in embryonic stem cell-derived embryoid bodies

We portrayed the Notch system in embryonic stem cell (ESC)-derived embryoid bodies (EBs) differentiating under the standard protocols used to assess yolk sac (YS) hematopoiesis in vitro. Notch receptors and Notch ligands were detected in virtually all cells throughout EB development. Notch 1 and Notch 2, but not Notch 4, were visualized in the nucleus of EB cells, and all these receptors were also observed as patent cytoplasmic foci. Notch ligands (Delta-like 1 and 4, Jagged 1 and 2) were immunodetected mostly as cytoplasmic foci. Widespread Notch 1 activation was evident at days 2-4 of EB differentiation, the time window of hemangioblast generation in this in vitro system. EBs experienced major spatial remodeling beyond culture day 4, the time point coincident with the transition between primitive and multilineage waves of YS hematopoiesis in vitro. At day 6, where definitive YS hematopoiesis is established in EBs, these exhibit an immature densely packed cellular region (DCR) surrounded by a territory of mesodermal-like cells and an outer layer of endodermal cells. Immunolabeling of Notch receptors and ligands was usually higher in the DCR. Our results show that Notch system components are continuously and abundantly expressed in the multicellular environments arising in differentiating EBs. In such an active Notch system, receptors and ligands do not accumulate extensively at the cell surface but instead localize at cytoplasmic foci, an observation that fits current knowledge on endocytic modulation of Notch signaling. Our data thus suggest that Notch may function as a territorial modulator during early development, where it may eventually influence YS hematopoiesis.     

The role of notch 1 activation in cardiosphere derived cell differentiation

Cardiosphere derived cells (CDC) are present in the human heart and include heterogeneous cell populations of cardiac progenitor cells, multipotent progenitors that play critical roles in the physiological and pathological turnover of heart tissue. Little is known about the molecular pathways that control the differentiation of CDC. In this study, we examined the role of Notch 1/J kappa-recombining binding protein (RBPJ) signaling, a critical cell-fate decision pathway, in CDC differentiation. We isolated CDC from mouse cardiospheres and analyzed the differentiation of transduced cells expressing the Notch1 intracellular domain (N1-ICD), the active form of Notch1, using a terminal differentiation marker polymerase chain reaction (PCR) array. We found that Notch1 primarily supported the differentiation of CDC into smooth muscle cells (SMC), as demonstrated by the upreguation of key SMC proteins, including smooth muscle myosin heavy chain (Myh11) and SM22α (Tagln), in N1-ICD expressing CDC. Conversely, genetic ablation of RBPJ in CDC diminished the expression of SMC differentiation markers, confirming that SMC differentiation CDC is dependent on RBPJ. Finally, in vivo experiments demonstrate enhanced numbers of smooth muscle actin-expressing implanted cells after an injection of N1-ICD-expressing CDC into ischemic myocardium (44±8/high power field (hpf) vs. 11±4/high power field (hpf), n=7 sections, P<0.05). Taken together, these results provide strong evidence that Notch1 promotes SMC differentiation of CDC through an RBPJ-dependent signaling pathway in vitro, which may have important implications for progenitor cell-mediated angiogenesis.     

过表达Notch1胞内域对c-Kit+骨髓间充质干细胞分化的影响

BACKGROUND: Activation of Notch signaling plays a critical role in stem cell differentiation, and this effect seems to be cell-type dependent. Little is reported on the role of activation of Notch1 signaling in the differentiation of c-Kit+ bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the influence of activation of Notch1 signaling on the differentiation of c-Kit+ bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells. METHODS: The Notch1 intracellular domain (N1-ICD) was obtained from the cDNA library by PCR and cloned into BamHI/AgeI digested adenoviral GV314 plasmid to construct N1-ICD overexpressing shuttle plasmid, and the positive clones were verified by sequencing. N1-ICD shuttle plasmid and helper plasmids pBHGloxΔE1,3 Cre were used to co-transfect HEK293T cells to obtain N1-ICD overexpressing adenoviral particles (N1-ICD-Ad). The c-Kit+ subpopulation were isolated from bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells of the Sprague-Dawley rat femur via magnetic activated cell sorting. After transfection of the c-Kit+ BMSCs with N1-ICD-Ad adenovirus, we assessed the activation of Notch1 signaling and differentiation in c-Kit+ bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells by quantitative RT-PCR and immunofluorescent staining. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: N1-ICD coding sequence was successfully generated from the cDNA library, and then was cloned into the linearized adenoviral vectors GV314. The resistant clones were verified by sequencing. With the assistance of packaging plasmids, recombinant N1-ICD-Ad adenovirus plasmids were successful packaged in HEK293T cells, and its title was 2×1012 PFU/L. c-Kit+ bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells with the purity of 91.6% were successfully isolated from the bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells of the Sprague-Dawley rat femur. Compared with the blank and negative controls, N1-ICD-Ad infection in the c-Kit+ bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells led to substantial accumulation of N1-ICD in the cytoplasm and nuclei, significantly unregulated expressions of Hes1 (a downstream gene of Notch) and cardiomyocyte differentiation genes Nkx2.5 and cTnT, significantly increased the expression of von Willebrand factor, an endothelial cell differentiation gene, and mildly increased the expression of smooth muscle 22α, a smooth muscle cell differentiation gene. These experimental results indicate that the activation of Notch1 signaling contributes to multi-lineages differentiation of c-Kit+ bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, and the construction of N1-ICD overexpressing adenoviral vector makes the foundation for further research on the role of Notch1 signaling in stem cell biology.      

The notch response inhibitor DAPT enhances neuronal differentiation in embryonic stem cell-derived embryoid bodies independently of sonic hedgehog signaling.

During development of the neural tube, inhibition of the Notch response as well as the activation of the Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) response results in the formation of neuronal cell types. To determine whether Shh and Notch act independently, we tested the effects of the Notch inhibitor DAPT (N-[N-(3,5-difluorophenacetyl)-l-alanyl]-S-phenylglycine t-butyl ester) on neuralized, embryonic stem (ES) cell-derived embryoid bodies (EBs), while varying the levels of Shh pathway activation. Shh-resistant EBs were derived from Smo null ES cells, while EBs with constitutive high level of Shh pathway activation were derived from Ptc1 null ES cells. Intermediate levels of Shh pathway activation was achieved by the addition of ShhN to the EB culture medium. It was found that DAPT-mediated inhibition of the Notch response resulted in enhanced neuronal differentiation. In the absence of Shh, more interneurons were detected, while the main effect of DAPT on EBs with an activated Shh response was the precocious loss of ventral neuronal precursor-specific markers.     

Expression pattern of notch1, 2 and 3 and Jagged1 and 2 in lymphoid and stromal thymus components: distinct ligand-receptor interactions in intrathymic T cell development.

The suggested role of Notch1 or its mutants in thymocyte differentiation and T cell tumorigenesis raises the question of how the different members of the Notch family influence distinct steps in T cell development and the role played by Notch ligands in the thymus. We report here that different Notch receptor-ligand partnerships may occur inside the thymus, as we observed differential expression of Notch1, 2 and 3 receptors, their ligands Jagged1 and 2, and downstream intracellular effectors hairy and Enhancer of Split homolog 1 (HES-1) and hairy and Enhancer of Split homolog 5 (HES-5), depending on ontogenetic stage and thymic cell populations. Indeed, while Jagged2 is expressed in both stromal cells and thymocytes, Jagged1 expression is restricted to stromal cells. Moreover, a differential distribution of Notch3, with respect to Notch1, was observed in distinct age-related thymocyte subsets. Finally, Notch3 was preferentially up-regulated in thymocytes, following the induction of their differentiation by interaction with thymic epithelial cells expressing the cognate Jagged1 and 2 ligands, suggesting that, besides Notch1, Notch3 may also be involved in distinct steps of thymocyte development. Our results suggest that the Notch signaling pathway is involved in a complex interplay of T cell developmental stages, as a consequence of the heterogeneity and specific expression of members of the Notch receptor family and their cognate ligands, in distinct thymic cell compartments.