Structure,function and signal transduction of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2

Angiogenesis, or the formation of new blood vessels out of pre-existing capillaries, is very important in many physiologic and pathologic processes, such as embryonic development, cancer, retinopathies, etc. Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR-2) plays a key role in angiogenesis. In this review, we discussed the structure, function and signal transduction of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2. Understanding these should provide important insights into how new strategies can be devised to interfere in the physiologic and pathologic processes involved in angiogensis.     

and laminin on adhesion and proliferation of human hepatocellular carcinoma cell

AIM:To explore the effects of PMA(phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate, a tumor promoter, mimicking the action of diacylglycerol on PKC)and laminin on the adhesion and the proliferation of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells, and provide a new clue to liver cancer treatment.METHODS:Human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line(BEL-7402)was used to identify the endogenous laminin and protein kinase C-α(PKC-α) expression, and the effects of laminin and PMA on the adhesion and the proliferation were also investigatedin vitro.RESULTS:By the effect of exogenous laminin, human hepatocellular carcinoma cell (BEL-7402) possessed endogenous laminin expression and increased the adhesion and the proliferation, which was showed the synergistic action by the effect of PMA in combination. By the action of PMA alone, the proliferation and the PKC-α expression increased by exogenous laminin were decreased, and the adhesion and the endogenous laminin expression were increased.CONCLUSIONS:The finding suggested that the adhesion and the proliferation of human hepatocellular carcinoma cell were closely related to the effects of endogenous or exogenous laminin, which were associated with cPKC-α activity. Therefore, the application of anti-laminin antibody in combination with PKC antagonist might be a new clue to find out the therapy for liver cancer.     

Progress in signal transduction of erythropoietin

Erythropoietin is a critical growth factor in development of erythrocyte. After binding to its receptor, eryhropoietin produces biological action through consequent activation of intracellular signal transduction systems, including JAK2-STAT5, sos-Ras-MAPK, IRS-2-PI₃-K⁺ and Ca²⁺ channel.     

Epoxyeicosatrienoic acid: the signal transduction

Cytochrome P450 monoxygenase converts arachionic acid to four epoxyeicosatrienoic acid regiosomes: 5, 6-EET (epoxyeicosatrienoic acid); 8, 9-EET; 11, 12-EET and 14, 15-EET. Recent studies show that EETs are involved in signal transduction. EETs open Ca²⁺-sensit ive K⁺ channel and inhibit Na⁺ channel, Ca²⁺-sensitive Cl^- channel and so on. What is more, EETs have been demonstrated to activate PP60^c-src and initiate a tyrosine kinase cascade that mediates mitogenic effects.     

IL-12 induces T lymphocytes apoptosis and influences the expression and signal transduction of Fas/FasL

AIM: IL-12 acts upon Tlymphocytes and activates its receptor complexes of β1/β2,and so IL-12 can regulate TH1/TH2 balance. Our study is aimed at IL-12-inducing apoptosis of Tcells and expression and signal transduction of Fas/FasLduring Tcell apoptosis. METHODS: The apoptosis of Tcells was detected by Annexin Vstaining cytometry and the expression of Fas/FasLunder different inhibitors were detected by semi-quantitative PCR. RESULTS: IL-12 induced the human leukemic Tcell line(TIB-152) and the human lymphoma Tcell line(HTB-176) and the normal human Tcells to undergo apoptosis. The FasLexpression at 6 hours after treatment with IL-12 increased apparently, and reached the max at 24 hours, and FasLexpression induced by IL-12 was inhibited by PKCinhibitor. But IL-12 did not influence Fas expression. CONCLUSIONS: IL-12 can induce Tcells to undergo apoptosis which is characterized by early membrane changes, the inducing effect is correlated with the concentration of IL-12 and the maturation of Tcells. FasLparticipates in the progression of Tcell apoptosis as a apoptosis mediator, and the effect of IL-12 on FasLexpression may be related with PKCpathway.     

Regulation of MMP-2 and TIMP-3 expression by uPA signal transduction system in human bone giant cell tumor

AIM: To study effects of urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) signal transduction on expression of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-3 (TIMP-3) in giant cell tumor of bone (GCT). METHODS: Expression of uPAR, MMP-2 and TIMP-3 in GCT tissue was detected by immunohistochemistry. Phosphorylation level of mitogen-activated protein kinase (p44) in uPA/uPAR signal pathway in cultured GCT cells was detected by immunoprecipitation. The expression of MMP-2 and TIMP-3 in cultured cells after treatment with uPA-ATF or anti-uPAR antibody was also detected by Western blotting. RESULTS: 1) Urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) was positive on the cell membrane and in cytoplasm of some mononuclear stromal cells (MSCs) and multinucleated giant cells (MGCs); 2) MMP-2 was positive in the cytoplasm and on the cell membrane of almost all of MSCs and some of MGCs. The polar distribution of MMP-2 in the cytoplasm of MGCs was especially obvious; 3) The expression of TIMP-3 of some MSCs and MGCs in GCT was much lower than MMP-2. The positive signal also showed a prominent polarity; 4) After treatment with uPA-ATF, the phosphorylation level of p44 in GCT cultured cells was much higher than the control. Addition of anti-uPAR antibody in the cells remarkably down-regulated the phosphorylation level of p44 as compared with the control group, suggesting that uPA-ATF participates cell signal transduction and this reaction can be inhibited by anti-uPAR antibody; 5) uPA-ATF cell signal pathway up-regulated expression of MMP-2 and TIMP-3, while anti-uPAR antibody down-regulated the expression of MMP-2 and TIMP-3. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrate for the first time that uPA-ATF directly regulates the expression of MMP-2 and TIMP-3 by signal transduction pathway, and the over-expression of MMP-2 and TIMP-3 may play an important role in local osteolysis of GCT.     

The mechanism of apoptosis induced by homoharringtonine in HL-60 cells

AIM: To study the signal transduction pathway of apoptosis initiation induced by homoharringtonine in HL-60 cells. METHODS: After establishing the model of apoptosis initiation induced by homoharringtonine in HL-60 cells, at the point of apoptosis initiation, molecular caspase-3, Bcl-2, Bax and Fas/FasL were measured with flow cytometry and transmission electron microscope. ERK2 and P38 expression in HL-60 cells were detected by using immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: The model of apoptosis initiation induced by homoharringtonine was established in HL-60 cells. At the point of apoptosis initiation, upregulation of caspase-3 and decrease in Bcl-2/Bax were observed. However, the expression of Fas/FasL did not significantly change. ERK2 expression decreased and P38 expression increased. CONCLUSIONS: Caspase-3, Bcl-2, Bax and mitogen activated protein kinase pathways were involved in signal transduction of apoptosis initiation induced by homoharringtonine in HL-60 cells.     

猪2型圆环病毒核酸疫苗免疫效应研究

PCR扩增PCV2 ORF2和BVP22基因。将ORF2基因克隆入真核表达载体pCDNA3．1（＋），构建了pCORF2作为核酸疫苗免疫小白鼠。同时将具有蛋白转导功能的BVP22基因分别克隆到ORF2基因的上游和下游，使二者融合表达，命名为pCORF2BVP22和pCBVP220RF2。分4组肌肉免疫BALB/c小白鼠，分别注射pCDNA3．1（＋）、pCORF2、pCORF2BVP22和pCBVP220RF2，共免疫2次，间隔2周，分别于首免后2周和二免后4周采血，ELISA法检测体液抗体。同时为在体外验证ORF2和BVP22基因的真核表达，将ORF2和BVP22基因分别克隆入pEGFP-N1载体，构建了pNORF2和pNBVP22，转染Hela细胞后在荧光显微镜下观察到了ORF2和BVP22在体外的瞬时高效表达。结果显示，通过两次免疫后，各疫苗组均产生了针对ORF2的体液抗体，同时证明BVP22可增强核酸疫苗的免疫效果，其中以BVP22在ORF2上游效果更好。本研究为防制猪2型圆环病毒感染提供了较为理想的侯选疫苗。     

植物TIR1/AFBs基因家族研究进展

TIR1/AFBs基因家族是一种存在于细胞核中的生长素受体,属于F-box蛋白基因中的一个小亚族。它们通过与相关生长素相结合活化转录因子来促进基因的表达,从而进行调控,是生长素信号转导过程中的关键部分。为了深入研究生长素信号转导机制,从TIR1/AFBs基因家族的发现与结构,家族成员表达模式的差异及对植物生长发育方面的调节等方面概括介绍了TIR1/AFBs基因家族的分子调控机制,总结了TIR1/AFBs基因的功能。最后探讨了TIR1/AFBs基因的研究方向。     

猪源ST9型耐甲氧西林金黄色葡萄球菌中前噬菌体的流行状况与转导分析

本研究旨在分析猪源ST9型耐甲氧西林金黄色葡萄球菌(Staphylococcus aureus,MRSA)中前噬菌体的流行情况、结构特点和转导能力,探究前噬菌体在猪源MRSA流行克隆形成中的作用。基于全基因组信息,分析了近年来从我国多省分离的131株ST9型MRSA中前噬菌体的流行率、分型、亲缘关系和结构特征;选取含不同分型前噬菌体的菌株进行诱导,对诱导获得的噬菌体颗粒进行转导,测定转导子的耐药表型及体外适应性。研究结果显示：猪源ST9型MRSA的前噬菌体携带率为78.6%(103/131株),其中,63株携带完整前噬菌体序列,所有前噬菌体序列均不含耐药基因,仅2.9%(3/103株)的前噬菌体序列含毒力基因;前噬菌体谱型丰富,其整合酶分型主要为Sa2int和Sa4int;各型别前噬菌体结构同源性较高,完整前噬菌体可被诱导为长尾噬菌体;噬菌体颗粒可包装供体菌的aadD、tet(L)耐药基因并转导至受体菌中;转导子可获得卡那霉素、四环素耐药表型,体外生长能力与受体菌株无明显差异(P>0.05)。研究结果表明：猪源ST9型MRSA的前噬菌体携带率较高,谱型丰富,不携带耐药基因,部分噬菌体可包装供体菌的耐药基因转导至受体菌,产生的适应性代价小。