内皮抑素基因腺病毒载体的构建及表达

目的：构建人内皮抑素（Human Endostatin，hE）基因的腺病毒载体，并研究其对胃癌细胞株SGC-7901、MKN-45及人脐静脉内皮细胞系ECV304生物学特性的影响。方法：采用Lipofectamine2000法将含有人内皮抑素基因的质粒pCA13-hE与pBGHE3共同转染293细胞；免疫荧光法及Western Blot检测hE的表达；用不同感染复数（Muhiplicity of infection，MOI）的重组人内皮抑素基因的腺病毒感染ECV304细胞，观察细胞生长。结果：成功构建了含hE基因的腺病毒载体；经含hE基因腺病毒载体感染的人SGC-7901胃癌细胞株、MKN-45胃癌细胞株均表达hE蛋白；表达的hE蛋白具有一定的生物学活性，可以抑制人静脉内皮细胞系ECV304的生长。结论：获得了有表达功能活性的Endostatin腺病毒载体，表达产物可抑制ECV304细胞的增殖，为肿瘤的抗血管基因治疗提供了必要条件。     

Analysis of Chlamydomonas thiamin metabolism in vivo reveals riboswitch plasticity

Thiamin (vitamin B₁) is an essential micronutrient needed as a cofactor for many central metabolic enzymes. Animals must have thiamin in their diet, whereas bacteria, fungi, and plants can biosynthesize it de novo from the condensation of a thiazole and a pyrimidine moiety. Although the routes to biosynthesize these two heterocycles are not conserved in different organisms, in all cases exogenous thiamin represses expression of one or more of the biosynthetic pathway genes. One important mechanism for this control is via thiamin-pyrophosphate (TPP) riboswitches, regions of the mRNA to which TPP can bind directly, thus facilitating fine-tuning to maintain homeostasis. However, there is little information on how modulation of riboswitches affects thiamin metabolism in vivo. Here we use the green alga, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, which regulates both thiazole and pyrimidine biosynthesis with riboswitches in the THI4 (Thiamin 4) and THIC (Thiamin C) genes, respectively, to investigate this question. Our study reveals that regulation of thiamin metabolism is not the simple dogma of negative feedback control. Specifically, balancing the provision of both of the heterocycles of TPP appears to be an important requirement. Furthermore, we show that the Chlamydomonas THIC riboswitch is controlled by hydroxymethylpyrimidine pyrophosphate, as well as TPP, but with an identical alternative splicing mechanism. Similarly, the THI4 gene is responsive to thiazole. The study not only provides insight into the plasticity of the TPP riboswitches but also shows that their maintenance is likely to be a consequence of evolutionary need as a function of the organisms’ environment and the particular pathway used.     

Immunogenicity and efficacy of a bivalent DNA vaccine containing LeIF and TSA genes against murine cutaneous leishmaniasis

There is no effective vaccine for the prevention and elimination of leishmaniasis. For this reason, we assessed the protective effects of DNA vaccines containing LeIF, TSA genes alone, or LeIF–TSA fusion against cutaneous leishmaniasis pEGFP‐N1 plasmid (empty vector) and phosphate buffer saline (PBS) were used as control groups. Therefore, cellular and humoral immune responses were evaluated before and after the challenge with Leishmania major. Lesion diameter was also measured 3–12 weeks after challenge. All immunized mice with plasmid DNA encoding Leishmania antigens induced the partial immunity characterized by increased IFN‐γ and IgG2a levels compared with control groups (p < 0.001). Furthermore, the immunized mice showed significant reduction in mean lesion sizes compared with mice in empty vector and PBS groups (p < 0.05). The reduction in lesion diameter was 29.3%, 34.1%, and 46.2% less in groups vaccinated with LeIF, TSA, and LeIF‐TSA, respectively, than in PBS group at 12th week post infection. IFN/IL‐4 and IgG2a/IgG1 ratios indicated that group receiving LeIF–TSA fusion had the highest IFN‐γ and IgG2a levels. In this study, DNA immunization promoted Th1 immune response characterized by higher IFN‐γ and IgG2a levels and also reduction in lesion size. These results showed that a bivalent vaccine containing two distinct antigens may induce more potent immune responses against leishmaniasis.     

Targeting the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway in biliary tract cancers: A review of current evidences and future perspectives

Biliary tract cancers (BTCs) are a group of invasive neoplasms, with increasing incidence and dismal prognosis. In advanced disease, the standard of care is represented by first-line chemotherapy with cisplatin and gemcitabine. In subsequent lines, no clear recommendations are currently available, highlighting the need for novel therapeutic approaches.The PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway is a core regulator of cell metabolism, growth and survival, and is involved in BTCs carcinogenesis and progression. Mutations, gene copy number alterations and aberrant protein phosphorylation of PI3K, AKT, mTOR and PTEN have been thoroughly described in BTCs and correlate with poor survival outcomes.Several pre-clinical evidences state the efficacy of PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway inhibitors in BTCs, both in vitro and in vivo. In the clinical setting, initial studies with rapamycin analogs have shown interesting activity with an acceptable toxicity profile. Novel strategies evaluating AKT and PI3K inhibitors have risen serious safety concerns, pointing out the need for improved patient selection and increased target specificity for the clinical development of these agents, both alone and in combination with chemotherapy.This review extensively describes the role of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway in BTCs and examines the rationale of its targeting in these tumors, with particular focus on clinical activity, toxicities and perspectives on further development of PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway inhibitors.     

含Ⅲ型纤连蛋白域蛋白5真核表达载体的构建及初步功能研究

目的 构建含小鼠FNDC5基因的绿色荧光蛋白表达载体pEGFP-C3-FNDC5,并初步探索其对C2C12肌细胞的线粒体能量代谢的影响。方法 应用反转录-聚合酶链反应法从小鼠腓肠肌和心脏组织中扩增出两端带有HindⅢ和EcoRⅠ酶切位点的FNDC5编码片段,经回收、纯化酶切后,依次连接到质粒PMD19-T和pEGFP-C3上,获得过表达载体后转染至C2C12肌细胞,48h后以激光共聚焦显微镜拍摄线粒体荧光强度,以荧光定量PCR检测与线粒体能量代谢相关的基因PGC-1β、ATPase6、ND1和ND6的表达情况。结果 PCR及测序结果表明:重组质粒pEGFP-C3含有FNDC5段,方向及大小正确,过表达FNDC5可以增强线粒体荧光强度,并增加线粒体能量代谢相关的基因PGC-1β、ATPase6、ND1和ND6的表达。结论 成功构建了小鼠真核表达载体pEGFP-C3-FNDC5,过表达FNDC5可以增强线粒体能量代谢。     

猕猴B病毒囊膜蛋白gD基因真核细胞表达载体? 的构建及表达

目的 构建猕猴B病毒囊膜蛋白gD的真核表达载体, 并且检测其在293T细胞内的表达情况。 方法 首先通过基因合成手段获得含B病毒gD蛋白的基因片段, 在经由PstⅠ和NotⅠ双酶切后连接到pEGFP-N3载体, 随后将构建的pEGFP-N3-GD重组质粒转染到人胚胎肾上皮细胞系293T细胞。再用Western blot检测所提蛋白其在细胞内的表达情况, 并用激光共聚焦分析其在细胞内的表达定位情况。 结果 成功获得携带gD基因的阳性重组质粒pEGFP-N3-GD, 且pEGFP-N3-GD重组质粒能在293T细胞的表面正常表达。 结论 利用真核表达系统, 既能够在细胞表面产生B病毒gD蛋白的特异性重组抗原, 而且可用于B检测抗原的制备。     

恶性疟原虫FCC1/HN株CTP基因真核表达载体的构建

目的构建恶性疟原虫CTP 基因的真核表达载体,以便进一步研究其功能. 方法根据Genbank 已发表恶性疟原虫CTP基因序列(序列号为X084041),自行设计并合成了一对引物,通过聚合酶链反应扩增出CTP基因,经HindⅢ和BamHⅠ消化后定向克隆入测序载体pUC19,构建重组质粒pUC19-CTP.经双酶切、PCR扩增和序列测定,证实插入片段与已知CTP编码序列完全相同.用HindⅢ和BamHⅠ消化pUC19-CTP,将双酶切下的CTP编码基因片段定向亚克隆入真核表达载体pcDNA3. 结果经双酶切和PCR扩增鉴定证实CTP基因正向插入真核表达载体pcDNA3中. 结论真核表达质粒pcDNA3-CTP构建成功.     

周期型马来丝虫副肌球蛋白基因真核表达重组质粒构建

【提要】 提取周期型马来丝虫总RNA。跟据已知的马来丝虫副肌球蛋白（BmPmy）基因序列，设计合成引物，并引入HindⅢ和BamHⅠ酶切位点，应用RT?鄄PCR技术，扩增BmPmy基因片段，克隆至载体pGEM?鄄T中，经PCR和双酶切鉴定后，亚克隆至真核表达质粒pcDNA3.1（+），成功构建了真核表达载体pcDNA3.1（+）-BmPmy，并转染COS-7细胞后进行RT-PCR分析。转染的COS-7细胞高水平表达周期型马来丝虫副肌球蛋白mRNA，结果与预期相符。