Thermodynamic, conformational and functional properties of the human C1q globular heads in the intact C1q molecule in solution

Thermodynamic. conformational and functional properties of the human C1q globular heads (hgC1q) were studied with the experimental approaches, which allow investigating these properties in the intact hC1q molecule in solution. Surprisingly, the scanning calorimetry data reveal a low level of cooperativity of interactions between the hgC1q A, B and C domains even at a neutral pH area. Ionization of His residues due to acidification of the medium at the pH range from 6 to 5 or the chemical modification of His residues completely abolishes the cooperative interactions between the domains without significant effect on their conformation. The thermodynamic data provide evidence that the hgC1q module is composed of three structurally independent A, B and C globular domains characterized by the practically identical thermal stability and very similar enthalpy of melting. The spectroscopic studies and modification with 2-oxy-5-nitrobenzylbromide (ONBB) indicate that Trp residues in the hgC1q A and C domains are accessible to the solvent that has been confirmed by the hgC1q crystal structure solved and refined to 1.9 A. The modification of Trp residues significantly affects the complement-dependent cytotoxicity without noticeable effect on the hC1q conformation. These data provide evidence that Trp residues are the components of immunoglobulin-binding sites both in the hgC1q A and C domains.     

Involvement of a p53-dependent pathway in rubella virus-induced apoptosis.

In light of the important role of apoptotic cell death in the pathogenesis of several viral infections, we asked whether the cytopathogenicity evoked by rubella virus (RV) might also involve apoptotic mechanisms. The To-336 strain of RV induced apoptosis in Vero and RK-13 cells, but not in fibroblast cell lines. UV-inactivated RV virions did not elicit the apoptotic response, indicating that productive infection is required for the induction of cell death. Both p53 and p21 protein levels were highly elevated in RV-infected Vero cells. The level of p21 mRNA was increased, while expression of the p53 gene was unaffected by RV infection. A dominant-negative p53 mutant (p53(W248)) conferred partial protection from RV-induced apoptosis. These data implicate a p53-dependent apoptotic pathway in the cytopathogenicity of RV, thereby suggesting a mechanism by which RV exerts its teratogenic effects.     

Silencing of frataxin gene expression triggers p53-dependent apoptosis in human neuron-like cells

Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA) is an autosomal recessive disease caused by mutations that produce a deficiency in frataxin. Despite the importance of neurodegeneration in FRDA, little is known about the consequences of frataxin deficiency in neuronal cells. Here we describe a neuronal cell model for FRDA based on the use of lentiviral vectors that carry minigenes encoding frataxin-specific shRNAs that silence the expression of this gene. These lentivectors can knockdown frataxin expression in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells, which results in large-scale cell death in differentiated neuron-like cells but not in undifferentiated neuroblastoma cells. Frataxin-deficient neuron-like cells appear to die through apoptosis that is accompanied by up-regulation of p53, PUMA and Bax and activation of caspase-3. No significant autophagy is observed in frataxin-deficient neuron-like cells and the pharmacological activation of autophagy does not significantly increase neuronal cell death in response to the frataxin deficiency. Cell death triggered by frataxin knockdown can be impaired by interference with p53, caspase inhibitors and gene transfer of FXN. These results suggest that frataxin gene silencing in human neuron-like cells may constitute a useful cell model to characterize the molecular changes triggered by frataxin deficiency in neurons, as well as to search for therapies that may protect against neurodegeneration.     

野生型p53基因诱导肝癌细胞凋亡及p21(WAF1/CIP1)蛋白过表达

目的：研究野生型ｐ５３基因对人肝癌细胞系细胞凋亡的作用。方法：通过脂质体转染方法将野生型ｐ５３基因（ｗｔ－ｐ５３）导入ｐ５３缺陷的ＨＣＣ－９２０４细胞系中，并获稳定表达。结果：转染ｗｔ－ｐ５３后细胞生长缓慢，Ｇ１期细胞数量由转基因前的４８．５％增加到７８．０％，并有较多细胞逐渐死亡。电镜观察和ＤＮＡ分析证实细胞死亡方式主要是细胞凋亡。免疫组化结果显示细胞转染ｗｔ－ｐ５３后，ｐ２１ＷＡＦ１／ＣＩＰ１的表达显著增加。结论：提示外源性野生型ｐ５３基因可以抑制肝癌细胞生长，并诱导细胞凋亡，这可能是通过ｐ２１ＷＡＦ１／ＣＩＰ１途径发挥上述作用的     

The receptor for the globular "heads" of C1q, gC1q-R, binds to fibrinogen/fibrin and impairs its polymerization

The 33-kDa cellular C1q binding protein, designated gC1q-R was previously shown to bind a number of plasma proteins involved in the coagulation and kinin systems. This study demonstrates the interaction between recombinant gC1q-R and fibrinogen. Using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, biotinylated gC1q-R was found to bind to microplate-immobilized fibrinogen in a manner which was specific and inhibited by excess soluble fibrinogen or polyclonal antibodies directed against either gC1q-R or fibrinogen. Moreover, gC1q-R inhibited fibrin polymerization in a dose-dependent manner. Reptilase induced fibrin clot formation was completely inhibited by gC1q-R at a 2:1 molar ratio (gC1q-R:fibrinogen), and repolymerization of thrombin induced fibrin monomers was similarly abrogated. At equivalent molar concentrations, gC1q-R appeared to be a more potent inhibitor of fibrin polymerization than fibrinogen, a well-known inhibitor. Moreover, in the presence of both gC1q-R and soluble fibrinogen, the effect of each inhibitor on fibrin polymerization was additive. When plasmin derived fibrinogen degradation products, including the C-terminal D domain (D-100) or the N-terminal E domain, were immobilized on microtiter plates, gC1q-R bound to fibrinogen fragment D-100, but not to fragment E. Further digestion of fibrinogen fragment D-100 by plasmin to fragment D-60 resulted in loss of gC1q-R binding. Thus, gC1q-R binds to the D domain of fibrinogen/fibrin, and the carboxyterminal segment of at least the fibrinogen/fibrin gamma chain appears important for this interaction. These observations may suggest a potential role for gC1q-R in modulating fibrin formation particularly at local sites of immune injury or inflammation.     

Bcl-2 constitutively suppresses p53-dependent apoptosis in colorectal cancer cells

To dissect apoptotic genes governing the survival of colorectal carcinoma cells, we employed RNAi to silence Bcl-2 and Bcl-x(L) in isogenic clones of p53+/+ and p53-/- cells, and of Bax+/- and Bax-/- cells. We identify a novel proapoptotic function of p53 that does not require activation by genotoxic agents and that appears to be constitutively suppressed by Bcl-2. Silencing of Bcl-2 induced massive p53-dependent apoptosis. The "Bcl-2/p53 axis" requires Bax and caspase 2 as essential apoptotic mediators. This newly discovered Bcl-2/p53 functional interface represents a key regulator of apoptosis which can be activated by targeting Bcl-2 in colorectal carcinoma cells.     

Adenoviral-mediated transfer of p53 gene enhances TRAIL-induced apoptosis in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells

p53 is a tumor suppressor protein with numerous biological functions including transformation, regulation of cell growth, differentiation and apoptosis. The TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) can induce apoptosis in various transformed cell lines. We investigated the effects of combining wild-type p53 gene transduction by adenoviral infection (Ad-p53) with addition of TRAIL on cell death, expression levels of TRAIL receptors (TRAIL-R1, TRAIL-R2), FLICE inhibitory protein (FLIP) and X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP) on human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines. HCC cell death was increased by combination of Ad-p53 infection and addition of TRAIL compared to either alone. Western blotting demonstrated decreased TRAIL-R1 and TRAIL-R2 levels after infection with Ad-p53. FLIP levels decreased in Huh7 cells and Hep3B cells, and XIAP levels decreased in all three HCC cell lines after infection with Ad-p53. Thus, death of HCC cells due to combined p53 gene transduction and exogenous TRAIL may be due to down regulation of FLIP or XIAP.     

PLCE1通过调控p53抑制肺腺癌A549细胞凋亡

目的:探讨磷脂酶Cε1(PLCE1)抑制肺腺癌A549细胞凋亡的作用机制。方法:选用人肺腺癌细胞株A549作为研究对象。采用real-time PCR和Western blotting法分别检测PLCE1抑制剂U-73122处理前、后肺腺癌细胞株A549中PLCE1和p53 mRNA和蛋白水平的表达;流式细胞术检测细胞凋亡。结果:肺腺癌细胞株A549高表达PLCE1,低表达p53;抑制PLCE1表达后A549细胞中p53表达上调,细胞凋亡明显增加。结论:PLCE1通过抑制肺腺癌A549细胞株中p53的表达,从而抑制A549细胞凋亡。     

RHP is antigenically related to factor H and binds to the globular heads of C1q.

RHP was purified from normal serum by sequential euglobin precipitation, ion exchange chromatography on DEAE-Sephacel and gel filtration using Sephacryl S-300. RHP reacted with anti-Factor H antibodies in ELISA assays and in Western blots, suggesting that it is antigenically related to Factor H. It bound to intact C1q but not to the collagen-like N-terminal half of the molecule. C1q-specific monoclonal antibody BUS-1, which blocks the binding of C1q to immune complexes, did not block the binding of RHP to C1q. This implies that the binding sites on C1q for IgG and RHP do not overlap.     

Endoplasmic reticulum stress induces p53 cytoplasmic localization and prevents p53-dependent apoptosis by a pathway involving glycogen synthase kinase-3beta

The tumor suppressor p53, a sensor of multiple forms of cellular stress, is regulated by post-translational mechanisms to induce cell-cycle arrest, senescence, or apoptosis. We demonstrate that endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress inhibits p53-mediated apoptosis. The mechanism of inhibition involves the increased cytoplasmic localization of p53 due to phosphorylation at serine 315 and serine 376, which is mediated by glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta (GSK-3beta). ER stress induces GSK-3beta binding to p53 in the nucleus and enhances the cytoplasmic localization of the tumor suppressor. Inhibition of apoptosis caused by ER stress requires GSK-3beta and does not occur in cells expressing p53 with mutation(s) of serine 315 and/or serine 376 to alanine(s). As a result of the increased cytoplasmic localization, ER stress prevents p53 stabilization and p53-mediated apoptosis upon DNA damage. It is concluded that inactivation of p53 is a protective mechanism utilized by cells to adapt to ER stress.     

Down-regulation of Notch receptor signaling pathway induces caspase-dependent and caspase-independent apoptosis in lung squamous cell carcinoma cells

Notch receptor signaling pathway (NRSP) is increasingly linked to carcinogenesis. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) appears to actively utilize this conserved developmental pathway. The aims of this study are to determine whether or not Notch 1-4 are overexpressed in NSCLC tissues compared with normal lung tissues and whether inhibiting NRSP could induce caspase-dependent or caspase-independent apoptosis. Immunohistochemistry was used to evaluate the expression of Notch 1-4 in 101 NSCLC tissue samples and 30 normal lung tissue samples. DAPT was used to repress NRSP in SK-MES-1 cells. Apoptosis was determined by Annexin V and PI staining. Cleaved poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) was measured by Western blot; X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP) and Survivin were assessed by qRT-PCR and Western blot; the release of second mitochondria-derived activator of caspase (Smac) from mitochondria to cytoplasm was evaluated by Western blot; the subcellular locations of endonuclease G (Endo G) and apoptosis inducing factor (AIF) were observed by Western blot and indirect immunofluorescence analysis. (Mech Dev, 98, 2000, 95) Notch 1-4 are up-regulated in NSCLC tissues and Notch 1, 2 are positively correlated with lymph node metastasis, (Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 106, 2009, 22293) DAPT treatment could inhibit NRSP and induce apoptosis, with a marked increase in cleaved PARP, decreases in XIAP and Survivin proteins and concomitant release of Smac, EndoG, and AIF from mitochondria, indicating that inhibiting NRSP by DAPT triggers caspase-dependent and caspase-independent apoptosis.     

Interleukin 7 signaling prevents apoptosis by regulating bcl-2 and bax via the p53 pathway in human non-small cell lung cancer cells

Interleukin 7/Interleukin 7 receptor (IL-7/IL-7R) signaling induces the upregulation of cyclin D1 to promote cell proliferation in lung cancer, but its role in preventing the apoptosis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines remains unknown. To study the role of IL-7 in lung cancer cell apoptosis, normal HBE cells as well as A549 and H1299 NSCLC cells were examined using flow cytometry. The results showed that the activation of IL-7R by its specific ligand, exogenous interleukin-7, was associated with a significant decline in apoptotic cells. Western blot and real-time PCR assays indicated that the activation of IL-7/IL-7R significantly upregulated anti-apoptotic bcl-2 and downregulated pro-apoptotic bax and p53 at both protein and mRNA levels. The knockdown of IL-7R through small interfering RNAs significantly attenuated these effects of exogenous IL-7. However, there was no significant anti-apoptotic effect in H1299 (p53-) cells. Furthermore, the inhibition of p53 significantly abolished the effects of IL-7/IL-7R on lung cancer cell apoptosis. These results strongly suggest that IL-7/IL-7R prevents apoptosis by upregulating the expression of bcl-2 and by downregulating the expression of bax, potentially via the p53 pathway in A549 and HBE cells.     

The effect of methyl methanesulfonate (MMS)-induced excision repair on p53-dependent apoptosis in human lymphoid cells.

The tumor suppressor p53 product has been shown to play an important role in preventing carcinogenesis by at least two different mechanisms, by evoking cell cycle arrest and eliciting DNA repair on one hand, or by eliminating damaged cells by induction of apoptosis on the other hand. As a first step toward understanding the relationship between protective responses and apoptosis after genotoxic stress, we examined the effect of DNA strand breaks generated from repair processes in respect to acute cellular responses against DNA damage, and on p53-dependent apoptosis in human lymphoid cells. We used two isogenic cell lines, TK6 harboring wild-type p53, and WI-L2-NS, which carries a mutant p53. A significant difference in sensitivity was observed at 50 microg/ml methyl methane-sulfonate (MMS) between the two cell lines used. In addition, a clear p53-mediated contribution to apoptosis in MMS-induced cell death was observed. However, we did not observe any differences in repair of MMS-lesions, as determined by comet assay, between the two cell lines. These data suggest that the differences in apoptosis induction in the two lines are not a reflection of differences in strand-break frequency or repair capacity.     

HPV感染和p53异常表达与宫颈鳞癌的关系

目的研究宫颈鳞癌与p53蛋白表达和HPV感染的关系,探讨宫颈鳞癌的形成机制。方法采用RT-PCR法分别检测p53基因在39例宫颈鳞癌组织和39例正常宫颈黏膜组织中的表达情况以及PCR方法检测HPV在这些组织中的感染情况。结果 HPV在宫颈鳞癌组中阳性率为48.72%(19/39),正常组织中为14.81%(4/27),p53基因表达在宫颈鳞癌组中阳性率为53.85%(21/39),正常组织中为18.52%(5/27),宫颈癌组的HPV感染和p53表达均高于正常组(P0.05)。结论 HPV感染与p53基因的异常表达与宫颈鳞癌发生密切相关,联合检测能提高准确性。