逆转录病毒载体介导的外源性主要组织相容性抗原复合体基因转移及其在T细胞的表达

目的 建立一个在胸腺内表达外源性主要组织相容性抗原复合体(MHC)抗原的实验模型,为下一步研究作准备。方法 应用逆转录病毒载体介导的基因转移技术,首次将外源性MHC基因转移到T淋巴表达并应用聚合酶链反应(PCR)及反转录聚合酶链反应(RT-PCR)检测转染T细胞DNA及mRNA。结果 外源性MHC基因已整合到靶细胞染色体DNA并有效地转录;单克隆抗体免疫荧光染色流式细胞仪检测显示在转染T细胞膜有外源性MHC分子表达;转染效率为46.2％。结论 外源性MHC基因可以转移到T细胞稳定表达,为今后的研究提供了经验。     

重组逆转录病毒pLNCX2-GDNF转染许旺细胞及其表达

目的 利用基因转染技术将胶质细胞源性神经营养因子(GDNF)基因转入许旺细胞(SC)以提高其分泌该因子的水平。方法 应用逆转录聚合酶链反应(RT—PCR)方法合成GDNFcD—NA片段，以逆转录病毒pLNCX2为载体导入许旺细胞内，并运用RT—PCR、免疫细胞化学染色、ELISA及运动神经元联合培养法检测外源性基因在mRNA和蛋白水平的表达及其产物的活性。结果 RT—PCR检测结果示GDNF—SCs表达GDNFmRNA的水平明显优于SCs；免疫细胞化学检测发现GDNF—SCs抗GDNF蛋白染色呈强阳性，正常SCs呈弱阳性；ELISA法检测结果示转染后4周GDNF—SCs分泌GD—NF蛋白的水平升至正常SCs的5．1倍；运动神经元联合培养法结果显示GDNF—SCs分泌的外源性基因产物具有生物学活性。结论 GDNF基因转染SC在mRNA和蛋白水平表达GDNF明显优于正常SCs，外源性基因表达产物具有神经生物学活性。     

GALC transduction leads to morphological improvement of the twitcher oligodendrocytes in vivo

Globoid cell leukodystrophy (GLD, Krabbe disease) is a severe demyelinating disease caused by a genetic defect of beta-galactocerebrosidase (GALC). To date treatment to GLD is limited to hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Experimental approaches by means of gene therapy in twitcher mouse, an authentic murine model of human GLD, showed significant but only marginal improvements of the disease. To clarify whether the introduction of GALC could provide beneficial effects on the oligodendrocytes in GLD, we transduced twitcher oligodendrocytes by stereotactically injecting recombinant retrovirus encoding GALC-myc-tag fusion gene into the forebrain subventricular zone of neonatal twitcher mouse. In vivo effects of exogenous GALC on twitcher oligodendrocytes were studied histologically by combined immunostaining for the myc-epitope and the oligodendroglial specific marker, pi form of glutathione-S-transferase, at around 40 days of age. We show here that GALC transduction led to dramatic morphological improvement of the twitcher oligodendrocytes comparing with those in untreated twitcher controls. This study provided direct in vivo evidence that GALC transduction could prevent or correct aberrant morphology of oligodendrocytes in GLD which may be closely related to the dysfunction and/or degeneration of oligodendrocytes and the demyelination in this disease.     

The tyrosine-based YXXØ targeting motif of murine leukemia virus envelope glycoprotein affects pathogenesis

Retroviruses, such as human and simian immunodeficiency viruses (HIV and SIV), and murine leukemia viruses (MuLV), harbor a tyrosine-based motif in the intracytoplasmic domain of their envelope glycoprotein. This motif can act as an endocytosis signal or as a targeting signal, restricting viral budding at specific cell surface membrane domains. In the present study, proviral DNA of the ecotropic Cas-Br-E strain of MuLV was modified by substitution or deletion of the critical tyrosine residue. Mutant viruses lost basolateral targeting in polarized MDCK epithelial cells while expression level of the glycoprotein at the cell surface was not affected. This suggests that the tyrosine-based motif in MuLV does not act as an endocytosis signal. Only a small delay in the appearance of disease was observed in inoculated mice. In contrast, a striking change in the pathology was observed with enlarged thymus and lymph nodes in animals inoculated with mutant viruses.     

Gene transfer by viral vectors for gene therapy

Conclusions The search for useful virus vectors and for improvements in currently available retrovectors which may have the capability of transportation by natural transport systems in the human body will open effective ways for targeting human genes to specific cells in tissues in situ. Genetic engineering of virus vectors is a subject of prime importance to the developing gene therapy protocols in humans.Abbreviations HSV Herpes simplex virus     

荧光定量PCR法在重组逆转录病毒pLXSN-BDNF滴度测定中的应用

目的制备含大鼠脑源性神经营养因子（BDNF）基因的逆转录病毒，建立荧光定量PCR测定滴度的方法。方法扩增BDNF基因，构建重组质粒pLXSN-BDNF，将其转染包装细胞，经G418筛选、病毒浓缩后用荧光定量PCR法和克隆形成法测定滴度。结果经PCR、酶切和测序鉴定，BDNF基因成功插入逆转录病毒载体中，筛选得到稳定的分泌重组病毒细胞系。重组病毒100倍浓缩后经荧光定量PCR法和克隆形成法测定的滴度分别为6．92×10^6拷贝/ml和3．2×10^5CFU/ml，两种方法测得的结果差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05）。结论成功扩增BDNF基因，制备了重组病毒pLX—SN-BDNF，建立了荧光定量PCR检测滴度的方法，为基因治疗青光眼性视神经损伤的实验研究提供重要参考指标。     

TRIM5alpha association with cytoplasmic bodies is not required for antiretroviral activity

The tripartite motif (TRIM) protein, TRIM5alpha, restricts infection by particular retroviruses. Many TRIM proteins form cytoplasmic bodies of unknown function. We investigated the relationship between cytoplasmic body formation and the structure and antiretroviral activity of TRIM5alpha. In addition to diffuse cytoplasmic staining, the TRIM5alpha proteins from several primate species were located in cytoplasmic bodies of different sizes; by contrast, TRIM5alpha from spider monkeys did not form cytoplasmic bodies. Despite these differences, all of the TRIM5alpha proteins exhibited the ability to restrict infection by particular retroviruses. Treatment of cells with geldanamycin, an Hsp90 inhibitor, resulted in disappearance or reduction of the TRIM5alpha-associated cytoplasmic bodies, yet exerted little effect on the restriction of retroviral infection. Studies of green fluorescent protein-TRIM5alpha fusion proteins indicated that no TRIM5alpha domain is specifically required for association with cytoplasmic bodies. Apparently, the formation of cytoplasmic bodies is not required for the antiretroviral activity of TRIM5alpha.     

Vertical transmission of human T-cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I): Detection of proviral DNA in HTLV-I carrier gravida

The seroprevalence rate of human T-cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I) in pregnant women in the Osaka district was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and Western blot analysis. Twenty-one (1.0%) of 2192 samples tested were positive for both assays and the seropositive parturients were found to be integrated with HTLV-I proviral DNA in their mononuclear cells by a DNA dot blot hybridization assay using HTLV-I DNA probe or by a selective DNA amplification technique using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). On the other hand, proviral DNA was not detected in cord blood of the neonates born to the carrier mothers, indicating that transplacental infection of HTLV-I during pregnancy could be excluded. The results support the hypothesis that postpartum infection via breast milk plays a significant role among the possible perinatal transmission routes.     

High frequencies of human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) infection and presence of HTLV-II proviral DNA in blood donors with anti-thyroid antibodies

To investigate the relationship between human T-lymphotropic virus (HTLV) types I and II and the pathogenesis of autoimmune thyroid diseases, we examined serum anti-thyroid antibodies in 1019 blood donors with or without serum anti-HTLV-I antibody as well as proviral DNA for HTLV-II in leukocyte DNA by the polymerase chain reaction in 395 blood donors with or without anti-thyroid antibodies. The frequency of donors with anti-HTLV-I antibody who also showed anti-thyroid antibodies (7.9%) tended to be higher than that (6.3%) among donors who did not have the anti-HTLV-I antibody. The frequency of anti-thyroid antibodies in 125 young male donors aged 16–39 years with anti-HTLV-I antibody (4.8%) was significantly higher (P<0.05) than that (0.6%) in 164 control donors without the antibody. In blood donors with anti-thyroid antibody, 25.0% of those with anti-HTLV-I antibody and 14.3% of those without the antibody had HTLV-II proviral DNA. In contrast, in donors without anti-thyroid antibody HTLV-II proviral DNA was detected in 2.3% of those with anti-HTLV-I antibody and in 0.6% of those without the anti body. Thus the detection rates in donors with anti-thyroid antibody were significantly higher (P<0.001) than those in donors without the antibody, regardless of HTLV-I infection. These results suggest that HTLV-I infection and the presence of HTLV-II proviral DNA may be independently related to the pathogenesis of autoimmune thyroid diseases.Abbreviations HTLV Human T-lymphotropic virus - PCR Polymerase chain reaction     

Identification of glycosylation sites in the SU component of the Avian Sarcoma/Leukosis virus Envelope Glycoprotein (Subgroup A) by mass spectrometry

We used enzymatic digestion and mass spectrometry to identify the sites of glycosylation on the SU component of the Avian Sarcoma/Leukosis virus (ASLV) Envelope Glycoprotein (Subgroup A). The analysis was done with an SU(A)-rIgG fusion protein that binds the cognate receptor (Tva) specifically. PNGase F removed all the carbohydrate from the SU(A)-rIgG fusion. PNGase F is specific for N-linked carbohydrates; this shows that all the carbohydrate on SU(A) is N-linked. There are 10 modified aspargines in SU(A) (N17, N59, N80, N97, N117, N196, N230, N246, N254, and N330). All conform to the consensus site for N-linked glycosylation NXS/T. There is one potential glycosylation site (N236) that is not modified. Removing most of the carbohydrate from the mature SU(A)-rIgG by PNGase F treatment greatly reduces the ability of the protein to bind Tva, suggesting that carbohydrate may play a direct role in receptor binding.