The fluorolysis assay,a highly sensitive method for measuring the cytolytic activity of T cells at very low numbers

We have developed a highly sensitive cytolysis test, the fluorolysis assay, as a simple nonradioactive and inexpensive alternative to the standard 51Cr-release assay. P815 cells were stably transfected with a plasmid expressing the enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) gene. These target cells were coated with or without cognate peptide or anti-CD3 Ab and then incubated with CD8(+) T cells to allow antigen-specific or nonspecific lysis. The degree of target cell lysis was measured using flow cytometry to count the percentage of viable propidium iodide(-) EGFP(+) cells, whose numbers were standardized to a reference number of fluorochrome-linked beads. By using small numbers of target cells (200-800 per reaction) and extended incubation times (up to 2 days), the antigen-specific cytolytic activity of one to two activated CD8(+) T cells of a CTL line could be detected. The redirected fluorolysis assay also measured the activity of very few (> or =6) primary CD8(+) T cells following polyclonal activation. Importantly, antigen-specific lysis by small numbers (> or =25) of primary CD8(+) T cells could be directly measured ex vivo. This exquisite sensitivity of the fluorolysis assay, which was at least 8-33-folds higher than an optimized 51Cr-release assay, allows in vitro and ex vivo studies of immune responses that would otherwise not be possible due to low CTL numbers or frequencies.     

Spontaneous and MNNG‐induced reversion of an EGFP construct in HeLa cells: An assay for observing mutations in living cells by fluorescent microscopy

A HeLa cell line stably expressing the enhanced green fluorescence protein (EGFP) gene, interrupted by the HBB IVS2‐654 intron, was studied without treatment and after treatment with a single standard dose of 15 μM of N‐methyl‐N′‐nitro‐N‐nitrosoguanidine (MNNG). This assay was done in order to prove that such a construct can revert by a variety of mechanisms and that it produces a visible phenotype, i.e., green fluorescence. The system permits visual detection of living mutant cells among a background of non‐mutant cells and does not require a selective medium. The results show that the construct reverts by large deletions (–62, –100, and –162 bp), small insertions (+4 bp), small rearrangements (19 bp duplication), base substitutions at purines (G₆₅₂, G₆₅₃, A₆₅₅, G₅₇₉), and a pyrimidine (T₆₅₄) between nucleotide positions 579 and 837. Splice‐site mutations were recovered, and some of the mechanisms underlying these mutations are discussed. Because of the ease of detection of revertant cells under fluorescent light and the wide variety of mutations that can be recovered, further development of this system could make it a useful new mammalian cell mutagenicity assay. Hum Mutat 18:526–534, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

VEGF真核表达载体的构建及在内皮与心肌细胞内的表达

目的：探讨外源性人VEGF165基因在内皮细胞与心肌细胞内表达的可行性。方法：构建了(vaseular endothelium growth factor,VEGF)与增强型绿色荧光蛋白(enhanced green fluorescent protein，EGFP)基因其表达载体pIRES2—FGFP—VEGF165，以脂质体法转染内皮细胞和心肌细胞，采用荧光显做镜检测内皮细胞与心肌细胞中EGFP的表达，同时利用免疫组织化学方法检测VEGF的表达。结果：成功地构建了真核表达载体pIRES2—EGFP—hVEGF165，采用脂质体法转染内皮细胞与心肌细胞后，经荧光显微镜观察，可见细胞内有EGFP的表达，同时经免疫组化证实有VEGF的表达。结论：采用脂质体法可以成功地将外源性VEGF165基因转染到内皮细胞与心肌细胞中，并进行表达。本研究为今后利用VEGF基因治疗心肌缺血等疾病提供了实验基础。     

增强型绿色荧光蛋白基因在鸡胚盘细胞中的表达

从鸡胚发育为X期的鸡蛋中取胚盘细胞,经原代培养后用带增强型绿色荧光蛋白（EGFP）作为标记基因的真核表达质粒pLEGFP-C1转染鸡胚细胞观察GEFP基因的表达情况,结果在不同条件下的活细胞均见有EGFP基因的稳定表达,这提示通过EGFP基因转染鸡胚盘细胞可连续且直接观察活细胞中的表达,为转基因鸡的研究提供一实用的标记基因。     

一种新的链霉菌表达载体启动子

eryA基因直接控制着红霉素母环6-脱氧-红霉内酯B的合成,在红霉素生物合成过程中具有重要作用。本文克隆了eryA基因的启动子PeryA,以绿色荧光蛋白基因为报告基因,构建了大肠埃希菌-糖多孢红霉菌穿梭型质粒。PEG介导原生质体转化法将穿梭型质粒分别转入糖多孢红霉菌A226与变铅青链霉菌JT46,荧光显微镜检测发现,此启动子在两菌株中都具有功能。随后,以变铅青链霉菌JT46为宿主,对PeryA启动子区域进行了深入研究,结果发现该启动子的-35区并不是必需的,仅有-10区、长度为41bp的该启动子在链霉菌中仍具有功能。定点突变证明-10区对于该启动子是必不可少的。因此,41bp的该启动子片段可作为链霉菌的有效启动子,这是迄今为止所发现的最短的启动子之一,可用于构建新的链霉菌表达载体。     

V806M突变型Axin基因真核表达载体的构建及其在神经胶质细胞瘤内的表达

目的构建V806M突变型Axin基因真核表达载体pIRES2-EGFP-MT-Axin(V806M),并稳定表达于大鼠神经胶质瘤细胞系C6。方法用分子克隆技术,构建真核表达载体pIRES2-EGFP-MT-Axin(V806M),经NheⅠ和SmaⅠ双酶切鉴定后,用脂质体法稳定转染神经胶质瘤细胞C6。结果构建了真核表达载体pIRES2-EGFP-MT-Axin(V806M),稳定转染后,经荧光显微镜和免疫细胞化学染色法检测,可见细胞内有EGFP及Axin的表达。结论成功构建真核表达载体pIRES2-EGFP-MT-Axin(V806M),并在神经胶质瘤细胞C6中表达,为研究此种突变体Axin是否影响细胞的生物学行为以及是否参与胶质瘤的发生发展奠定了实验基础。