端粒相关蛋白TIN2与肿瘤

端粒重复序列结合因子1相互作用核蛋白2(telomeric-repeat binding factor 1 interaction nuclear protein 2, TIN2)是端粒保护蛋白复合体(Shelterin)重要组成部分,保护端粒末端并调节端粒长度。TIN2与肝细胞癌、胃癌、淋巴细胞白血病等多种恶性肿瘤的发生、发展密切相关。TIN2异常可能引起端粒功能保护蛋白紊乱、染色体不稳定,导致癌症发生、发展。目前关于TIN2与肿瘤的关系尚存在较多盲区,该文通过回顾性分析近年文献,拟探讨端粒相关蛋白TIN2与肿瘤的关系。     

hPOT1研究进展

随着对端粒、端粒酶研究的深入，一类被称为端粒结合蛋白的核蛋白越来越受到重视。人端粒保护蛋白1（human protection of telomeres 1,hPOT1）及其基因在2001年被鉴定，它是一种单链端粒结合蛋白，有两大功能相关结构域：OB fold(oligonucleotide/oligosaccharide binding fold，OB fold)和TRF1(TTAGGG repeat binding factor 1,TRF1)相互作用蛋白结构域。它与端粒DNA的结合具有高度特异性和对单链端粒DNA游离3′末端结合位点的优先性。hPOT1蛋白可能具有多种重要的功能。目前有关hPOT1蛋白的研究越来越多。本文就hPOT1的生物学性质作一综述。     

端粒及端粒酶活性的调控机制

广义的端粒由帽子、双链的串联重复序列的DNA核心部分及亚端粒构成,其结合蛋白是一个复合体,由TRF1、TRF2、TIN2、Pot1、TPP1、RAP1 6个亚单位组成;另外,还结合组蛋白的特定成分H3K9三甲基聚合体和H4K20三甲基聚合体.端粒酶主要由hTerc、hTert、dyskerin构成.端粒的功能主要受端粒酶的活性调控;而端粒酶活性主要受hTert及hTerc的转录水平和转录后的剪切、hTert的翻译等因素的调控.端粒与端粒酶结构和功能的异常与细胞衰老及肿瘤的发生、发展关系密切.     

端粒重复因子2与p53的体外结合

目的 通过分析端粒主要结合蛋白端粒重复因子2(TRF2)与p53的体外结合,探讨p53通过端粒途径调节细胞增殖、衰老和凋亡的分子机制。方法 4种不同的p53-谷胱甘肽S转移酶(glutathione S-transferase,GST)融合蛋白和GST经大肠杆菌表达、谷胱甘肽-Sepharose^TM 4B纯化,其中的人重组p53包括野生型(1～393)、C端缺失体p53 N5(2～293)、N端缺失体p53 N5(95～393)、第175位氨基酸突变体(R→H)。将各纯化蛋白和人乳腺癌细胞MCF-7的细胞蛋白进行体外结合反应(pull down),Western blot检测反应物中p53和TRF2的结合。结果 纯化的GST和p53-GST融合蛋白纯度均在90％以上,且相对分子质量与预计的完全一致。TRF2的Western blot显示：野生型p53和p53-R 175H均能沉淀MCF-7中的TRF2,且结合力相似,而单独的GST则无沉淀TRF2的作用。与野生型p53和p53 R175H相比,p53 2C与TRF2的结合力相对增加,p53 N5与TRF2的结合力相对大大减弱。结论 p53和TRF2可以进行直接而特异的体外结合,且其结合部位在p53的C端(293～393)。p53和TRF2的C端依赖性结合可能与端粒动态变化所诱导的细胞活动有关。     

人端粒保护蛋白1(hPOT1)研究进展

随着对端粒、端粒酶研究的深入,一类被称为端粒结合蛋白的核蛋白越来越受到重视。人端粒保护蛋白1(human protection of telomeres 1,hPOT1)及其基因在2001年被鉴定,它是一种单链端粒结合蛋白,有两大功能相关结构域:OB fold(oligonucleotide/oligosaccharide binding fold)和TRF1(TTAGGG repeatbinding factor 1)相互作用蛋白结构域。它与端粒DNA的结合具有高度特异性和对单链端粒DNA游离3′末端结合位点的优先性。hPOT1蛋白可能具有多种重要的功能。目前有关hPOT1蛋白的研究越来越多,现就hPOT1的生物学性质作一综述。     

乳腺良恶性病变组织端粒长度和端粒酶活性检测

目的　比较乳腺良恶性病变端粒长度改变及其在肿瘤发生发展中的意义 ;探讨端粒酶活性与临床病理参数的关系及其在乳腺癌诊断中的价值。方法　Southern印迹杂交检测TRF长度 ,端粒重复扩增分析 (TRAP)方法检测端粒酶活性。结果　乳腺癌组织平均TRF为 (5 2± 2 8)kb ,与正常组织比较明显缩短 (P <0 0 0 1) ,从正常乳腺组织到乳腺良性病变、乳腺原位癌及浸润性癌平均TRF呈递减趋势。 5 8例乳腺癌中 4 9例端粒酶阳性 (84 7% ) ,端粒酶活性与临床病理参数无相关性 ;癌旁组织端粒酶为阴性 ,而 7例乳腺增生症和 6例乳腺纤维腺瘤中分别有 1例端粒酶阳性 ,与乳腺癌比其差异有显著性 (P <0 0 0 1)。结论　端粒长度在肿瘤发生发展过程中渐进性缩短 ,并最终触发端粒酶的激活 ;端粒酶活性检测有望成为乳腺癌诊断的可靠标记物     

子宫内膜癌组织中端粒蛋白TRF1和TRF2的表达及意义

目的研究子宫内膜癌组织内端粒蛋白TRF1、TRF2的表达水平及临床应用意义。方法选取韶关市第一人民医院2015年1月-2016年12月住院部收治的60例子宫内膜癌患者作为病例组,同时选取同期在我院行诊断性刮宫术治疗的30例健康子宫内膜患者作为对照组。采用免疫组化方法对两组患者的端粒蛋白TRF1、TRF2及细胞分化水平进行检测,并比较两组患者端粒蛋白TRF1、TRF2阳性率。结果子宫内膜癌的病理分级、临床分期、淋巴结转移、肌层浸润等情况与端粒蛋白TRF1、TRF2的表达水平无明显相关性;TRF1、TRF2在子宫内膜癌、健康子宫内膜内表达相关性明显(Rs_1=0.519,P_1=0.000;Rs_2=0.541,P_2=0.000)。结论临床医学可根据端粒蛋白TRF1、TRF2表达水平进行早期子宫内膜癌防治,为临床医学研究提供分子生物学机制,降低子宫内膜癌发生风险,改善治疗效果。     

6A8α-甘露糖苷酶表达对人鼻咽癌细胞CNE-2L2端粒酶活性和端粒长度的影响

探讨端粒长度与端粒酶活性在人鼻咽癌细胞CNE-2L2恶性行为改变前后的变化，建立研究恶性行为改变与端粒长度与端粒酶活性间关系的细胞模型。与6A8α-甘露糖苷酶表达正常的CNE-2L2细胞(野生型细胞W，转导空载体的细胞M及转导无关DNA片段的细胞S)相比，6A8α-甘露糖苷酶表达低下的细胞(AS)接种裸鼠皮下后的肿瘤性生长受抑。用Telo TAGGG Telomere Length Assay Kit及Telomerase PCR ELISA Kit分别测定端粒长度及端粒酶活性，用RT-PCR方法分析端粒重复序列结合因子(TRF)的转录水平。见AS细胞的端粒明显缩短(6．78Kb，W细胞为8．40Kb，M细胞为8．34kb，S细胞为9．56kb)，但端粒酶活性及端粒重复序列结合因子l和2(TRFl和2)的转录水平未见改变。实验表明，恶性行为降低的CNE-2L2细胞的端粒变短，但与端粒酶活性及TRF1／2无关，提示在CNE-2L2细胞中可能存在着端粒酶及TRF1／2以外的调节端粒长度的机制。这为研究肿瘤细胞恶性行为改变与端粒长度与端粒酶活性间关系提供了一个模型。     

人端粒相关蛋白

端粒是染色体末端的特殊结构,由端粒DNA与端粒蛋白构成,维持染色体的稳定。端粒相关蛋白直接影响端粒的功能,调节端粒DNA的长度,与细胞的衰老和癌变密切相关。端粒蛋白包括端粒双链DNA结合蛋白、端粒单链DNA结合蛋白、其它端粒相关蛋白。端粒结合蛋白直接保护端粒DNA,端粒相关蛋白通过与端粒结合蛋白的相互作用间接影响端粒的功能。本文对这些端粒相关蛋白的细胞生物学功能的研究进展进行概述。     

人骨髓间质干细胞中的端粒调控机制

目的：〖HT5"SS〗研究人骨髓来源间充质干细胞(MSCs)端粒长度的调控机制。方法：以贴壁培养法从人骨髓中分离MSCs并用MSCs及造血干细胞相关表面抗体作表型鉴定,用Southern blotting检测MSCs的端粒长度;应用免疫荧光染色技术检测端粒重复序列结合因子1（TRF1）和早幼粒细胞白血病蛋白小体（PML）的定位;以端粒重复序列扩增法（TRAP）和/或Western blotting法检测传代及分化成脂肪细胞的MSCs和经同步化处理被阻断在S期的MSCs的端粒酶表达。结果：与端粒酶阴性ALT细胞株WI-38-2RA细胞相比,MSCs的端粒长度较短并且端粒长度变异度不大;端粒调控相关蛋白TRF1和PML在MSCs中的定位则与端粒酶阳性细胞HeLa细胞相同,两者呈非共定位,而在端粒酶阴性WI-38-2RA细胞中两者呈共定位状态。MSCs中不存在有染色体外端粒重复序列DNA（ECTR DNA）。TRAP法检测传代培养的MSCs端粒酶呈阴性表达,但分化成脂肪的MSCs端粒酶呈阳性表达。Western blotting 检测同步化处理前MSCs端粒酶呈微弱表达,经同步化处理被阻断在S期时,MSCs的端粒酶表达明显增高,并且与S期的细胞比例呈正相关。结论：MSCs中不存在ALT相关的早幼粒细胞白血病蛋白小体(APBs)、染色体外端粒重复序列DNA(ECTR DNA)和端粒长度较长、端粒长度变异度大等ALT机制相关分子特征;非同步化在S期处理的MSCs,端粒酶呈微弱表达,但诱导向脂肪细胞分化或处在S期时,MSCs的端粒酶表达明显增高,并且与S期的细胞比例呈正相关。本研究提示MSCs是通过端粒酶机制而不是端粒延长旁路途径（ALT）机制调控其端粒末端。     

A human interstitial telomere associates in vivo with specific TRF2 and TIN2 proteins

Mammalian telomeres are composed of long arrays of TTAGGG repeats that form a nucleoprotein complex which protects the chromosome ends. Human telomere function is known to require two TTAGGG repeat factors, TRF1 and TRF2, and several interacting proteins, but the mechanism by which the DNA/protein complex prevents end to end fusion in vivo has not been elucidated. In order to better understand the role of specific telomere-associated proteins in the organisation of chromosome ends, we have studied a patient with a rare chromosome rearrangement that has given rise to an interstitial telomere. Using specific antibodies and immuno-FISH on unfixed metaphase chromosomes, we show that the proteins TRF2 and TIN2 (TIN2 interacts with TRF1) co-localise with the interstitial TTAGGG repeats. Our results demonstrate, for the first time in humans, that TRF2 and TIN2 proteins associate with interstitial duplex TTAGGG repeats, in vivo. They confirm that double stranded-telomeric repeats, even when complexed with specific proteins, are not sufficient to create a functional telomere. Finally, they suggest a possible role for proteins in stabilising interstitial TTAGGG repeats.     

Inside the mammalian telomere interactome: regulation and regulatory activities of telomeres

Work in model organisms, such as mouse, yeast, Tetrahymena, ciliates, and plants, has led to a deeper understanding of telomere biology. Telomeres together with telomere-binding proteins have evolved to protect chromosomal ends and maintain chromosomal length and integrity. Over the last two decades, biochemical, molecular, cellular, and genetic studies have greatly enhanced our knowledge of the unique function and structure of telomeres and telomere-associated factors. In this review, we focus on the important advances, in terms of our knowledge and the methods used, in understanding mammalian telomere regulation by telomeric proteins. Recently, the 6 telomeric proteins (TRF1, TRF2, POT1, TIN2, RAP1, and TPP1) were found to form a high-order complex. This complex and its associated partners provide the basis for constructing an interaction map of telomere regulators in mammalian cells, which we named the Telomere Interactome. The Telomere Interactome incorporates the various telomere signaling pathways and represents the molecular machinery that regulates mammalian telomeres. The establishment of the Telomere Interactome will also enable the integration of the intricate circuitries that regulate telomeres with other cellular interactomes in vertebrates.     

Shelterin: the protein complex that shapes and safeguards human telomeres

Added by telomerase, arrays of TTAGGG repeats specify the ends of human chromosomes. A complex formed by six telomere-specific proteins associates with this sequence and protects chromosome ends. By analogy to other chromosomal protein complexes such as condensin and cohesin, I will refer to this complex as shelterin. Three shelterin subunits, TRF1, TRF2, and POT1 directly recognize TTAGGG repeats. They are interconnected by three additional shelterin proteins, TIN2, TPP1, and Rap1, forming a complex that allows cells to distinguish telomeres from sites of DNA damage. Without the protective activity of shelterin, telomeres are no longer hidden from the DNA damage surveillance and chromosome ends are inappropriately processed by DNA repair pathways. How does shelterin avert these events? The current data argue that shelterin is not a static structural component of the telomere. Instead, shelterin is emerging as a protein complex with DNA remodeling activity that acts together with several associated DNA repair factors to change the structure of the telomeric DNA, thereby protecting chromosome ends. Six shelterin subunits: TRF1, TRF2, TIN2, Rap1, TPP1, and POT1.     

A role for heterochromatin protein 1γ at human telomeres

Human telomere function is mediated by shelterin, a six-subunit complex that is required for telomere replication, protection, and cohesion. TIN2, the central component of shelterin, has binding sites to three subunits: TRF1, TRF2, and TPP1. Here we identify a fourth partner, heterochromatin protein 1γ (HP1γ), that binds to a conserved canonical HP1-binding motif, PXVXL, in the C-terminal domain of TIN2. We show that HP1γ localizes to telomeres in S phase, where it is required to establish/maintain cohesion. We further demonstrate that the HP1-binding site in TIN2 is required for sister telomere cohesion and can impact telomere length maintenance by telomerase. Remarkably, the PTVML HP1-binding site is embedded in the recently identified cluster of mutations in TIN2 that gives rise to dyskeratosis congenita (DC), an inherited bone marrow failure syndrome caused by defects in telomere maintenance. We show that DC-associated mutations in TIN2 abrogate binding to HP1γ and that DC patient cells are defective in sister telomere cohesion. Our data indicate a novel requirement for HP1γ in the establishment/maintenance of cohesion at human telomeres and, furthermore, may provide insight into the mechanism of pathogenesis in TIN2-mediated DC.     

POT1-interacting protein PIP1: a telomere length regulator that recruits POT1 to the TIN2/TRF1 complex

Human telomere length is controlled by a negative feedback loop based on the binding of TRF1 to double-stranded telomeric DNA. The TRF1 complex recruits POT1, a single-stranded telomeric DNA-binding protein necessary for cis-inhibition of telomerase. By mass spectrometry, we have identified a new telomeric protein, which we have named POT1-interacting protein 1 (PIP1). PIP1 bound both POT1 and the TRF1-interacting factor TIN2 and could tether POT1 to the TRF1 complex. Reduction of PIP1 or POT1 levels with shRNAs led to telomere elongation, indicating that PIP1 contributes to telomere length control through recruitment of POT1.     

TRF1 negotiates TTAGGG repeat-associated replication problems by recruiting the BLM helicase and the TPP1/POT1 repressor of ATR signaling

The semiconservative replication of telomeres is facilitated by the shelterin component TRF1. Without TRF1, replication forks stall in the telomeric repeats, leading to ATR kinase signaling upon S-phase progression, fragile metaphase telomeres that resemble the common fragile sites (CFSs), and the association of sister telomeres. In contrast, TRF1 does not contribute significantly to the end protection functions of shelterin. We addressed the mechanism of TRF1 action using mouse conditional knockouts of BLM, TRF1, TPP1, and Rap1 in combination with expression of TRF1 and TIN2 mutants. The data establish that TRF1 binds BLM to facilitate lagging but not leading strand telomeric DNA synthesis. As the template for lagging strand telomeric DNA synthesis is the TTAGGG repeat strand, TRF1-bound BLM is likely required to remove secondary structures formed by these sequences. In addition, the data establish that TRF1 deploys TIN2 and the TPP1/POT1 heterodimers in shelterin to prevent ATR during telomere replication and repress the accompanying sister telomere associations. Thus, TRF1 uses two distinct mechanisms to promote replication of telomeric DNA and circumvent the consequences of replication stress. These data are relevant to the expression of CFSs and provide insights into TIN2, which is compromised in dyskeratosis congenita (DC) and related disorders.     

Post-translational modifications of TRF1 and TRF2 and their roles in telomere maintenance

Telomeres, heterochromatic structures, found at the ends of linear eukaryotic chromosomes, function to protect natural chromosome ends from nucleolytic attack. Human telomeric DNA is bound by a telomere-specific six-subunit protein complex, termed shelterin/telosome. The shelterin subunits TRF1 and TRF2 bind in a sequence-specific manner to double-stranded telomeric DNA, providing a vital platform for recruitment of additional shelterin proteins as well as non-shelterin factors crucial for the maintenance of telomere length and structure. Both TRF1 and TRF2 are engaged in multiple roles at telomeres including telomere protection, telomere replication, sister telomere resolution and telomere length maintenance. Regulation of TRF1 and TRF2 in these various processes is controlled by post-translational modifications, at times in a cell-cycle-dependent manner, affecting key functions such as DNA binding, dimerization, localization, degradation and interactions with other proteins. Here we review the post-translational modifications of TRF1 and TRF2 and discuss the mechanisms by which these modifications contribute to the function of these two proteins.