Astragaloside Ⅳ inhibits JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway and alleviates severe acute pancreatitis-associated acute liver injury in rats

AIM: To investigate the effect of astragaloside Ⅳ on severe acute pancreatitis (SAP)-associated acute liver injury in the rats and to explore the underlying mechanisms. METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats (n=96) were randomly divided into sham-operated group, SAP model group, astragaloside Ⅳ treatment group and AG490 treatment group. SAP model was induced by retrograde injection of 5% sodium taurocholate (1 mL/kg) into the biliopancreatic duct. The rats in astragaloside Ⅳ treatment group were intraperitoneally injected with 20 mg/kg astragaloside Ⅳ, while the rats in AG490 treatment group were injected with 8.0 mg/kg AG490 2 h before sodium taurocholate injection. The rats in sham-operated group and model group received the same volume of saline. The rats were sacrificed at 12 h, 18 h and 24 h after the treatment. The levels of ascites, serum amylase, ALT and AST were detected after the blood samples were collected by the puncture through inferior vena cava. The serum levels of TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β were also examined by ELISA. Furthermore, HE staining was used to observe the liver pathological changes, and the protein levels of p-JAK2 and p-STAT3 in the liver were evaluated by Western blot. RESULTS: Compared with sham-operated group, the levels of ascites, serum amylase, ALT, AST, IL-6, TNF-α and IL-1β in the rats in model group were significantly increased, while they were decreased in the rats in astragaloside Ⅳ treatment group and AG490 treatment group compared with the rats in model group. Meanwhile, the phosphorylation levels of JAK2 and STAT3 was significantly increased in model group compared with sham-operated group. The rats in astragaloside Ⅳ treatment group and AG490 treatment group both had a better improvement in the liver injury and lower phosphorylation levels of JAK2 and STAT3.CONCLUSION: Astragaloside Ⅳ exerts a protective effect on pancreatitis-associated acute liver injury in the rats possibly via inhibiting JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway.     

Signal Transducers and Activators of Transcription (STAT) Regulatory Networks in Marine Organisms: From Physiological Observations towards Marine Drug Discovery

Part of our ocean’s richness comes from its extensive history of supporting life, resulting in a highly diverse ecological system. To date, over 250,000 species of marine organisms have been identified, but it is speculated that the actual number of marine species exceeds one million, including several hundreds of millions of species of marine microorganisms. Past studies suggest that approximately 70% of all deep-sea microorganisms, gorgonians, and sea sponges produce secondary metabolites with anti-cancer activities. Recently, novel FDA-approved drugs derived from marine sponges have been shown to reduce metastatic breast cancer, malignant lymphoma, and Hodgkin’s disease. Despite the fact that many marine natural products have been shown to possess a good inhibition potential against most of the cancer-related cell signaling pathways, only a few marine natural products have been shown to target JAK/STAT signaling. In the present paper, we describe the JAK/STAT signaling pathways found in marine organisms, before elaborating on the recent advances in the field of STAT inhibition by marine natural products and the potential application in anti-cancer drug discovery.     

家蚕JAK/STAT信号通路相关基因克隆与分析

【目的】鉴定家蚕JAK/STAT信号通路组成原件,并预测家蚕JAK/STAT信号通路主要相关基因的功能。【方法】在电子克隆的基础上,通过RT-PCR获得家蚕JAK/STAT信号通路的主要相关基因;利用在线软件对相关蛋白进行结构域分析;基于microarray数据库或qPCR分析各基因的组织表达特征。【结果】克隆了家蚕JAK/STAT信号通路主要相关基因,包括BmSTAT、BmHOP、BmSOCS2、BmSOCS5A、BmSOCS5B、BmSOCS6、BmDRK、Bmken、BmPIAS1、BmPIAS2以及BmPI3K,但没有能克隆到果蝇Upd1、Upd2和Upd3的同源体基因。序列分析显示BmHOP具CRD_FZ、Kringle、转膜区域和PKc超家族蛋白激酶催化结构域TyrKc;BmSTAT有2种亚型,均具SH2、STAT_bind、STAT_int和STAT_alpha结构域;在克隆的BmSOCS家族的3个基因中,BmSOCS2A和BmSOCS6A具典型的SH2和SOCS结构域;BmDRK由SH3和SH2两种结构域形成了SH3-SH2-SH3串联结构;BmKen存在BTB和锌指结构域,BmPIAS1和BmPIAS2具有LCR结构域,BmPI3K具有2个SH2结构域。【结论】成功克隆了家蚕JAK/STAT信号通路主要相关基因。相关蛋白的保守结构域分析显示,在家蚕JAK/STAT信号通路中,BmHOP是JAK激酶的一种,可以磷酸化BmSTAT转录因子,激活靶基因转录;BmSOCS、Bmken、BmPIAS1以及BmPIAS2对JAK/STAT通路起负反馈作用。     

凡纳滨对虾信号转导及转录激活因子（Lv-STAT）基因的克隆及表达特征分析

信号传导及转录激活因子（STAT）是生物体内重要信号通路JAK/STAT的关键组分,在机体免疫、生长、发育等方面起到重要作用。本研究从凡纳滨对虾血细胞中克隆获得了STAT基因的全长cDNA序列（Lv-STAT, GenBank accession number: KC779541）,其 ORF区全长2373 bp,编码790 aa,预测的分子量为和等电点分别为90.68 kDa和5.91。利用SMART在线软件分析表明：该基因编码的蛋白主要结构域由STAT_int、STAT-α、STAT-β和SH2 domain四部分组成,但不具有信号肽结构。将Lv-STAT与来源于其它物种的STAT进行氨基酸多序列比对后发现,该基因家族中的关键位点在Lv-STAT中同样保守。系统发生分析结果显示Lv-STAT 与斑节对虾、中国明对虾的STAT亲缘关系最近。在组织表达模式分析基础上进一步研究了该基因应答WSSV感染的表达变化特征,发现在感染后早期（0.5 hpi、1 hpi和3 hpi）,该基因在血细胞和肝胰腺中均呈显著上调表达趋势,上述研究表明该基因在一定程度上参与了南美白对虾体内由WSSV引发的先天免疫应答过程。     

嗜水气单胞菌感染对团头鲂肝脏铁代谢的影响

为研究细菌感染对鱼类肝脏铁代谢的影响,以团头鲂为研究对象,通过腹腔注射嗜水气单胞菌,在感染后不同时间点取团头鲂的血液和肝脏组织,分别采用分光光度法和ICP法检测血清和肝脏中的铁含量,采用实时荧光定量PCR法对铁代谢调节相关基因——铁调素(hepc)、白细胞介素6(il-6)、JAK/STAT信号通路的蛋白质酪氨酸激酶3(jak3)、信号转导子和转录激活因子3(stat3)等表达量进行检测。结果显示:感染嗜水气单胞菌后,团头鲂血清中铁浓度明显降低,在12、24h时显著低于对照组,总铁结合力有所上升,但没有达到显著水平;肝脏中铁含量相对于对照组虽没有达到显著性差异水平,但仍有明显升高。肝脏中hepc基因的表达量显著上升;il-6、jak3和stat3基因表达量开始均有所上调,随后有所下降,但各时间点的表达量均高于对照。试验结果说明,机体通过调节hepc等铁代谢相关基因的表达,进而降低自身游离铁和增加储存铁来应对病原菌的感染。     

信号转导和转录激活子5b(STAT5b)及其STAT5b基因的研究进展

信号转导和转录激活子5b(STAT5b)是STATs家族的重要成员,在细胞内信号转导和转录激活中发挥关键的作用。STAT5b具有广泛的生物学效应,参与动物生长、繁殖、泌乳和代谢。为了对STAT5b及其STAT5b基因有一全面、深入的了解,综述了STAT5b基因的定位、STAT5b基因的结构、STAT5b的生物学功能以及STAT5b的表达、多态及遗传效应研究,该基因在动物生产性能方面,具有广阔的研究前景。     

HBx modulates apoptosis by activating JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway in human renal proximal tubular epithelial cells

AIM: To investigate the correlation of hepatitis B virus X protein (HBx) with renal tubular epithelial cell apoptosis in hepatitis B virus-associated glomerulonephritis (HBVGN) and the possible signaling mechanism. METHODS: The activation of JAK2/STAT3 signal pathway and the expression of apoptosis-related proteins in human kindey proximal tubular epithelial cells (HK-2 cells) were determined by Western blotting after transfection with HBx eukaryotic expression vector. The cell proliferation was observed by CCK-8 assay. The cell apoptosis was analyzed by the imaging of HO33342 staining, transmission electron microscopy and flow cytometry with Annexin V/PI double staining. RESULTS: After transfection of the target gene HBx, the expression levels of both p-JAK2 and p-STAT3 were significantly increased. At the same time, the cell proliferation was obviously inhibited, and the apoptotic rate was increased. After incubation with AG490, the JAK2/STAT3 signal pathway was partially blocked, and the cell apoptosis induced by HBx was reduced. CONCLUSION：HBx up-regulates the activation of JAK2/STAT3 signal pathway to induce renal tubular epithelial cell apoptosis, which is possibly involved in the pathogenic mechanism that HBV directly damages nephridial tissue.     

小鼠乳腺中瘦素的信号转导通路

为研究小鼠乳腺发育、泌乳和退化过程中瘦素的信号转导通路,分别取妊娠12d、泌乳12d以及退化12d小鼠乳腺组织进行体外培养,对照组培养基为无血清培养基,处理组培养基中则只添加瘦素。培养48 h后取出分别提取乳腺上皮细胞总蛋白,并用免疫印迹的方法检测对照组和处理组乳腺上皮细胞中信号分子MAPK、STAT3和STAT5的磷酸化情况。结果表明,虽然在妊娠期、泌乳期和退化期乳腺上皮细胞中均有MAPK、STAT3和STAT5信号分子存在,但是在妊娠期瘦素只能专一性的诱导MAPK磷酸化,泌乳期瘦素可以激活STAT3和STAT5,而在退化期瘦素则特异性地激活STAT3,启动乳腺上皮细胞的凋亡过程。     

STAT1和组蛋白乙酰化修饰调控鸡lncRNA-BMP4转录研究

【目的】 探讨影响鸡长链非编码RNA （long chain noncoding RNA,lncRNA）-骨形态发生蛋白4（bone morphogenetic protein 4,BMP4）启动子转录的因素,并对调控lncRNA-BMP4特异表达的分子机制进行研究。【方法】 以鸡肌肉基因组为模板,PCR扩增并克隆鸡lncRNA-BMP4的启动子区,构建lncRNA-BMP4-EFGP载体,对lncRNA-BMP4启动活性进行定性分析;通过染色体5'-末端缺失的方法和双荧光素酶系统检测筛选lncRNA-BMP4启动子核心区域。通过在线工具预测分析调控核心区域的潜在转录因子;利用点突变和双荧光素酶系统筛查真正影响lncRNA-BMP4的转录因子;通过表观修饰验证DNA甲基化、组蛋白乙酰化对lncRNA-BMP4的转录调控作用。【结果】 试验成功扩增lncRNA-BMP4启动子片段1 288 bp,与pEGFP-N1载体连接后转染鸡成纤维细胞系（DF-1）具有荧光表达,说明lncRNA-BMP4启动子有启动活性。染色体5'-末端缺失和双荧光素酶系统检测发现,核心启动子区域为―832~―651 bp,Jaspar数据库分析筛选到核心区域的转录因子有SOX17、CREB1及STAT1。双荧光素酶系统检测发现,STAT1可促进lncRNA-BMP4核心启动区域的活性;DNA甲基化抑制剂5'-Azacd对lncRNA-BMP4的转录活性未有任何影响,而组蛋白乙酰化抑制剂TSA可极显著提高其转录活性（P<0.01）。【结论】 提示lncRNA-BMP4的转录活性受STAT1和组蛋白乙酰化的正调控,而DNA甲基化不影响其转录。研究结果为详细解析lncRNA-BMP4的功能和分子机制提供了理论依据。