Effects of JNK signaling pathway on hnRNP K protein aggregates in NIH3T3 cells treated with sodium arsenite

AIM: To explore the role of JNK signaling pathway in the formation of heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein (hnRNP) K protein aggregates by observing the expression and localization of hnRNP K in NIH3T3 cells induced by sodium arsenite(NaAsO2).METHODS: The recombinant vector pcDNA3-hnRNP K-HA was constructed and transfected into NIH3T3 cells. The expression and localization of endogenous hnRNP K and distribution of the protein aggregates stimulated with NaAsO2 at different time points were observed under fluorescence microscope. The level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the cells was detected by a ROS assay kit. After pretreated with the inhibitors of 5 signaling pathways (JNK, MEK, PI3K/Akt, NF-κB and nuclear transport), the changes of the protein aggregates were observed.RESULTS: The recombinant plasmid was correctly constructed. The hnRNP K was mainly distributed in the nucleus. The intracellular fluorescent aggregates increased with the prolonging stimulation of NaAsO2 in the cells transfected with the recombinant plasmid, and the overexpression of hnRNP K inhibited ROS generation in the cells induced by NaAsO2. SP600125, an inhibitor of JNK signaling pathway, significantly inhibited the formation of protein aggregates. CONCLUSION: The hnRNP K is primarily located in the nucleus of NIH3T3 cells, with a small amount in the cytoplasm. The formation of protein aggregates is significant after NaAsO2 stimulation, which can restrain the level of intracellular ROS, and the process is involved in JNK signaling pathway.     

Construction and in vitro analysis of recombinant adenovirus vector carrying red fluorescent protein reporter gene

AIM: To provide important tools for gene therapy and gene vaccine research by constructing an adenovirus vector containing red fluorescent protein ( RFP ) reporter gene with the approach of in vitro recombinant ligation. METHODS: The RFP gene fragment of pTurboRFP-N was digested and ligated into pShuttle transfer vector to construct recombinant vector pShuttle-TurboRFP-N. I- Ceu I/PI- Sce I were used to double digest recombinant vector pShuttle-TurboRFP-N and backbone of vector pH5'040.pkGFP-II. The target fragment was collected and ligated, and recombinant adenovirus vector AdH5'.040.CMV.RFP-N was obtained. After linearization, the vector was transfected into AD293 cells by liposome for virus packaging. The efficiency of virus packaging and RFP expression level in AD293 cells were examined using fluorescent microscope. In addition, the biological activity and titer of the virus were tested. Human lung cancer cell line A549 and breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 were infected with recombinant adenovirus vector AdH5'.040.CMV.RFP-N and control adenovirus vector AdH5.CMV.EGFP respectively. The infection efficiencies of the 2 vectors to different cell lines were compared by evaluating the expression levels of RFP and enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP). RESULTS: The recombinant adenovirus vector AdH5'.040.CMV.RFP-N was correctly constructed and confirmed by enzyme digestion. The virus was packaged by the vector in AD293 cells and had the ability to infect the target cells. The target gene in eukaryotic cells was also expressed. The number of recombinant adenoviruses and the titer of the virus after amplification and purification were 3.6×10¹⁵ vp/L and 1×10¹³ pfu/L,respectively. The infection efficiencies of recombinant adenovirus vector Ad5'.040.CMV.RFP-N to human lung cancer cell line A549 and breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 were higher than those in control adenovirus vector AdH5.CMV.EGFP (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: We have constructed recombinant virus vector carrying RFP reporter gene and provide an important tool for gene therapy and gene vaccine research. The reporter gene can be highly expressed in AD293 cells and has high infection efficiency to cancer cells. RFP is a good substitution and supplement to green fluorescent protein.     

Anti-inflammatory effects of PYNOD on lipopolysaccharide-stimulated BV2 microglial cells

AIM: To validate the anti-inflammatory effect of PYNOD on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated BV2 microglial cells.METHODS: A specific GFP and PYNOD fluorescence expression vector pEGFP-C2-PYNOD driven by the promoter of CMV gene was constructed. The anti-inflammatory properties of PYNOD were studied using LPS-stimulated BV2 microglia model. The productions of nitric oxide (NO), inducible NO synthase (iNOS), interleukin-1β (IL-1β) which caspase-1 were evaluated as inflammatory parameters. RESULTS: Pretreatment with pEGFP-C2-PYNOD to BV2 microglia cells stimulated by LPS significantly inhibited the excessive productions of NO and IL-1β, which was associated with down-regulation of iNOS and caspase-1 at mRNA and protein levels. CONCLUSION: PYNOD might be useful for treating the inflammatory and deleterious effects of BV2 microglial cell activation in response to LPS stimulation.     

miR-486 targeted regulation of PTEN on LPS-induced apoptosis of alveolar epithelial cell A549

AIM: To investigate the effect of microRNA-486 (miR-486) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced apoptosis of alveolar epithelial cell A549. METHODS: A549 cells were treated with LPS, and the expression of miR-486 was detected by RT-qPCR. miR-486 mimics were transfected into LPS-induced A549 cells, and RT-qPCR was used to detect the up-regulation effect. The apoptotic rate was analyzed by flow cytometry and the protein levels of cleaved caspase-3 (C-caspase-3) and C-caspase-9 were determined by Western blot. The target gene prediction software was used to predict the target gene PTEN of miR-486. Luciferase reporter vector was used to identify the target relationship. pcDNA 3.1-PTEN and miR-486 mimics were co-transfected into A549 cells to detect the effect of PTEN up-regulation on apoptosis of miR-486 mimics transfected A549 cells stimulated with LPS. RESULTS: After LPS treatment, the expression of miR-486 in A549 cells was significantly decreased (P<0.05). Transfection of miR-486 mimics significantly up-regulated the expression of miR-486 in A549 cells stimulated with LPS (P<0.05). The apoptotic rate of A549 cells and the protein levels of C-caspase-3 and C-caspase-9 were significantly increased after LPS treatment (P<0.05). Up-regulation of miR-486 significantly down-regulated LPS-induced apoptosis of A549 cells (P<0.05). The expression of PTEN was negatively regulated by miR-486. Transfection of pcDNA 3.1-PTEN significantly increased the expression of PTEN, promoted the apoptosis and increased the protein levels of C-caspase-3 and C-caspase-9 in A549 cells stimulated with LPS after co-transfection with miR-486 mimics(P<0.05). CONCLUSION: miR-486 inhibits PTEN expression and reduces LPS-induced apoptosis of A549 cells.     

Expression of GFP and Luc reporter genes driven by human myocardial myosin light chain gene promoter in human cardiomyocytes

AIM:To construct the lentiviral vectors with green fluorescent protein(GFP) and luciferase(Luc) reporter genes driven by human myosine light chain 2v gene promoter(pMLC2v) and to investigate their expression in human cardiomyocyte(HCM) cell line and human lung cancer cell line A549. METHODS:Human pMLC2v-specific lentiviral vectors with GFP(pMLC2v-GFP) or Luc(pMLC2v-Luc) were constructed and transfected into HCM and A549 cell lines. The expression characteristics of the reporter genes were observed by confocal fluorescent microscopy and bioluminescence detection. Common(nonspecific) promoter-driven GFP(GFP_C) or red fluorescent protein(RFP_C) lentiviral vectors were used as controls. RESULTS:Both cell lines expressed GFP and RFP 3 days after transfected with the nonspecific vectors. HCM specifically expressed GFP and Luc 3 weeks after transfected with the pMLC2v-GFP or pMLC2v-Luc vectors. However, A549 cells didn't show the similar expression pattern. CONCLUSION:The pMLC2v-GFP and pMLC2v-Luc lentiviral vectors are specific for newly proliferative cardiomyocytes, indicating that they can be used as reliable tools for tracking the differentiation of stem cells into cardiomyocytes in vivo.     

Effects of rs5418 site variation in SLC2A4 promoter region on gene expression

AIM: To investigate the effect of G/A mutation in rs5418 site of solute carrier family 2,facilitated glucose transporter,member 4 protein(SLC2A4) promoter region on gene expression. METHODS: The core promoter region of SLC2A4 gene was amplified by PCR. Mutant and wild-type recombinant expression vectors containing promoter of SLC2A4 gene were constructed by recombinant gene technique and the strategy of site-directed mutagenesis. Recombinant vectors were transfected into HEK293T cells by lipofectamine and the expression activity of the reporter gene in the recombinant expression vectors with different alleles was detected by a dual-luciferase reporter assay system. RESULTS: The 716-bp SLC2A4 promoter was amplified and the recombinant expression vectors pGL3-SLC2A4-prom(A) and pGL3-SLC2A4-prom(G) were successfully constructed. The luciferase reporter vector containing SLC2A4 promoter with rs5418-A alleles produced significantly higher relative luciferase activity (19.49±4.41) than that with rs5418-G allele (13.04±4.45; P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The G→A variation of rs5418 site in SLC2A4 promoter region increases the expression of SLC2A4 gene,thereby affecting the gene function.     

Construction of mouse pdx-1 gene eukaryotic expression vector and its expression in embryonic stem cells

AIM: To clone mouse pdx-1 gene and construct its eukaryotic expression vector for expression of pdx-1 in mouse embryonic stem cells.METHODS: Mouse pdx-1 cDNA fragment was amplified with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) from mouse pancreatic cDNA. The purified fragment was recombinated with a eukaryotic expression vector carrying enhanced green fluorescent protein, pEGFP-N1. The pdx-1 cDNA fragment was inserted into the multi-clone sites of the vector to construct a new plasmid, pEGFP/pdx-1. E.colli strain DH5α was transfected with the new recombinant plasmid to expand it. Plasmid DNA extracted from the expanded DH5α was identifed by cutting with Hind Ⅲ, BamHⅠ nuclease and by DNA sequencing. Identified plasmid DNA was transfected into mouse embryonic stem cell line MESPU13 by carrying with liposome. RESULTS: A 876 bp cDNA fragment was amplified from mouse pancreatic cDNA by PCR and it was inserted into the vector pEGFP-N1 correctly. The fragment was defined to be pdx-1 gene by nuclease digestion and DNA sequencing. Mouse embryonic stem cell line MESPU13 was transfected with the new recombinant plasmid DNA. The green fluorescent protein report gene and pdx-1 gene expressed in transfected mouse embryonic stem cells within 24 h. CONCLUSION: Mouse pdx-1 gene is cloned and its recombinant eukaryotic expression vector carrying green fluorescent protein is constructed successfully. It provides a useful tool for further research on the function of pdx-1.     

Mouse melanoma cell exosomes promote expression of Rac1 protein in fibroblasts

AIM To investigate the effect of exosomes secreted by mouse melanoma cells on the expression of Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 1 (Rac1) protein in fibroblasts. METHODS Ultracentrifugation was adopted to separete exosomes secreted by mouse melanoma B16-F10 cells. The morphological structure of exosomes was observed by negative-staining electron microscopy. The size distribution of exosomes was determined by nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA). The exosomal markers, tumor susceptibility gene 101 (Tsg101) and tyrosinase-related protein 2 (Tyrp2), were identified by Western blot. Laser confocal microscopy was used to observe the process that mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEF) took in exosomes during co-culture. Immunocytochemical staining and Western blot were used to detect the expression of Rac1 protein in MEF. RESULTS B16-F10 cell exosomes showed a typical tea tray-like structure, with a size range of 141~255 nm, and expressed protein markers Tsg101 and Tyrp2. The results of laser confocal microscopy showed that compared with co-culture at 0 h, a small number of exosomes appeared in the MEF at 12 h, and a large number of exosomes accumulated in the MEF after co-cultured for 24 and 36 h. Western blot analysis showed that compared with co-culture at 0 h, the expression of Rac1 protein in the MEF was significantly increased at 24 h and 36 h of co-culture (P<0.01). The results of immunocytochemical staining showed that compared with co-culture at 0 h, the positive expression level of Rac1 in the MEF cells was significantly increased at 12 h, 24 h and 36 h of co-culture (P<0.05 or P<0.01). CONCLUSION Intake of exosomes secreted by mouse melanoma cells promotes the expression of Rac1 protein in fibroblasts.     

Construction of human anti-HBc ScFv eukaryotic expression vector and expression of anti-HBc ScFv in HepG2 cells

AIM: To construct an eukaryotic expression vector of human single-chain variable fragment against hepatitis B virus core protein (anti-HBc ScFv) and detect its expression in HepG2 cells. METHODS: Anti-HBc ScFv genes were amplified from the plasmids abstracted from positive clone and inserted into pEGFP-c1 vector that contained green fluorescent protein gene. The recombinant plasmids were transfected into HepG2 cells, and resistant clones were obtained by G418 selection. The expression of the gene of fusion protein was determined by fluorescent invert microscope and ELISA. RESULTS: Recombinant plasmids were successfully constructed. The plasmid transfected HepG2 cells were obtained by G418 selection. Specific fluorescence was observed in HepG2 cells 48 hours after transfection. ELISA analysis confirmed the expression of anti-HBc ScFv in the cells. CONCLUSION: The construction of human anti-HBc ScFv eukaryotic expression vector and its expression in HepG2 cells lay the foundation for advanced research of intracellular anti-HBc ScFv.     

APPL1 reduces injury of H9c2 cardiomyocytes induced by LPS

AIM:To study the effect of APPL1 (adaptor protein, phosphotyrosine interacting with PH domain and leucine zipper 1) on H9c2 cardiomyocyte injury induced by lipopolysaccharides (LPS). METHODS:The H9c2 cells were treated with LPS. RT-qPCR and Western blot were used to detect the expression of APPL1 in the H9c2 cells. The recombinant APPL1 lentiviral vector was used to transfect into the H9c2 cells. After LPS treatment, the over-expression efficiency was detected by RT-qPCR and Western blot. The viability was measured by MTT assay. The apoptosis was analyzed by flow cytometry. The protein level of activated caspase-3 in the H9c2 cells was determined by Western blot. The content of malonaldehyde (MDA) in the H9c2 cells and the level of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in the culture medium were detected. The activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and the level of reative oxygen species (ROS) in the H9c2 cells were also examined. RESULTS:The expression of APPL1 at mRNA and protein levels in LPS-treated H9c2 cells was decreased significantly (P<0.05). Over-expression of APPL1 by transfection of recombinant lentiviral vector significantly increased the level of APPL1 at mRNA and protein levels in the H9c2 cells with LPS treatment (P<0.05). LPS treatment reduced the viability, but increased the apoptotic rate of the H9c2 cells, the protein level of activated caspase-3, the content of MDA and the level of LDH in the culture medium. The activity of SOD and GSH-Px was reduced, while the level of ROS was increased as compared with control group (P<0.05). Over-expression of APPL1 elevated the viability of H9c2 cells treated with LPS, and the apoptotic rate and the protein level of activated caspase-3 were decreased. The content of MDA and the level of LDH in the culture medium were reduced, the activity of SOD and GSH-Px was elevated, and the level of ROS was reduced as compared with the H9c2 cells treated with LPS alone (P<0.05). CONCLUSION:Over-expression of APPL1 reduces oxidative damage and apoptosis of the H9c2 cells induced by LPS.     

Screen of novel candidate regulators involved in oxidative stress-reprogrammed LPS signaling pathway by comparative phosphoprotein-affinity profiling

AIM: To determine the differences in phosphoproteome between LPS stimulated THP-1 cells with and without previous oxidative stress for screening of more potential regulators.METHODS: Differentiation of THP-1 cells into macrophages was induced by treatment with 100 μg/L PMA for 36 h. Differentiated cells were rested for additional 36 h without PMA treatment, then treated with 100 μmol/L H₂O₂ or medium for 1 h followed by LPS or medium treatment for 30 min. After desalted, phosphoproteins were enriched by phosphoprotein metal affinity column, and were run on 2-D electrophoresis, then the spots were analyzed to show the difference between LPS group (cells treated with LPS alone) and H₂O₂+LPS group (LPS stimulated cells also pretreated with H₂O₂). Finally, some of these spots were identified by MS and subsequent bioinformatic analysis was also conducted. RESULTS: Compared to LPS group, 29 reproducibly changed spots on the 2-D map in H₂O₂+LPS group were visualized and selected for MS analysis. Among these, 12 down-regulated spots (include those disappeared), 17 up-regulated spots (include those newly emerged) were selected. Up to now, 5 of these were identified, which were shown to be involved in various cellular processes such as proteolysis, signal transduction and protein folding. Among these, proteasome beta-4 subunit, which was dramatically down-regulated in H₂O₂+LPS group, was a major component of the proteasome complex and might participate in LPS signalling through various ways.CONCLUSION: With comparative phosphoprotein-affinity profiling, the interference brought by highly abundant house-keeping proteins is minimized, rendering us to detect less abundant signalling molecules. Aforementioned 5 proteins, especially proteasome beta-4 subunit, might be involved in LPS pathway reprogrammed by oxidative stress.     

庆祝《园艺学报》创刊50 周年

今年是《园艺学报》创刊发行50周年。50年来,《园艺学报》坚持为学术交流服务,为促进学科发展作贡献的办刊原则,以"科学性;创新性;对生产和科研有参考启迪作用"的标准,收录和发表了大量高水平的论文,记载了几代科技工作者呕心沥血创新之作,反映了中国园艺科学技术和园艺产业的发展历程。     

Response of CREG1 promoter to serum starvation in human vascular cells

AIM: In order to explore the regulatory mechanisms of the human cellular repressor of E1A-stimulated genes (hCREG1) in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs)-HITASY and in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), we clone and construct hCREG1 promoter vector to detect its expression in different vascular cells. METHODS: With the results of biological information, the fragments including -3 677 bp, -2 310 bp and -945 bp upstream sequences of hCREG1 were amplified respectively using human genomic DNA template by PCR. The products were inserted into pMD18-T vector, and then were subcloned into pEGFP-1 report vector to obtain the pEGFP-hCREG1-promoter vectors. The pEGFP-hCREG1-P3677, pEGFP-hCREG1-P2310 and pEGFP-hCREG1-P945 vectors were transfected into HITASY cells and HUVECs transiently and the expression of green fluorescent protein (GFP) was detected respectively by Western blotting and fluorescent microscope. RESULTS: It was confirmed that all three PCR fragments inserted into vectors were corrected by sequencing analysis. However, the expression of GFP was different significantly in both types of vascular cells. The expression of GFP in HUVECs was higher than that in HITASY cells. Meanwhile, the expression of GFP in HITASY cells with 0.5% FBS was increased obviously compared to that in HITASY cells with 10% FBS. CONCLUSION: The reporter vectors of hCREG1 promoter are constructed successfully in which the core promoter region might be located in -945 bp-0 bp of 5′ upstream sequences. This study will provide an experimental basis for exploring the regulation of hCREG1 expression.