Role of the guanosine triphosphatase Rac2 in T helper 1 cell differentiation

T helper 1 (TH1) cells mediate cellular immunity, whereas TH2 cells potentiate antiparasite and humoral immunity. We used a complementary DNA subtraction method, representational display analysis, to show that the small guanosine triphosphatase Rac2 is expressed selectively in murine TH1 cells. Rac induces the interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) promoter through cooperative activation of the nuclear factor kappa B and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways. Tetracycline-regulated transgenic mice expressing constitutively active Rac2 in T cells exhibited enhanced IFN-gamma production. Dominant-negative Rac inhibited IFN-gamma production in murine T cells. Moreover, T cells from Rac2-/- mice showed decreased IFN-gamma production under TH1 conditions in vitro. Thus, Rac2 activates TH1-specific signaling and IFN-gamma gene expression.     

Requirement of Rac1 and Rac2 expression by mature dendritic cells for T cell priming

Upon maturation, dendritic cells (DCs) acquire the unique ability to activate na?ve T cells. We used time-lapse video microscopy and two-photon imaging of intact lymph nodes to show that after establishing initial contact between their dendrites and na?ve T lymphocytes, mature DCs migrate toward the contacted lymphocytes. Subsequently, the DCs tightly entrap the T cells within a complex net of membrane extensions. The Rho family guanosine triphosphatases Rac1 and Rac2 but not Rho itself control the formation of dendrites in mature DCs, their polarized short-range migration toward T cells, and T cell priming.     

Critical roles for Rac1 and Rac2 GTPases in B cell development and signaling

The Rac1 guanosine triphosphatase (GTPase) has been implicated in multiple cellular functions, including actin dynamics, proliferation, apoptosis, adhesion, and migration resulting from signaling by multiple receptors, including the B cell antigen receptor (BCR). We used conditional gene targeting to generate mice with specific Rac1 deficiency in the B cell lineage. In the absence of both Rac1 and the highly related Rac2, B cell development was almost completely blocked. Both GTPases were required to transduce BCR signals leading to proliferation, survival and up-regulation of BAFF-R, a receptor for BAFF, a key survival molecule required for B cell development and maintenance.     

Hematopoietic stem cell quiescence maintained by p21cip1/waf1

Relative quiescence is a defining characteristic of hematopoietic stem cells, while their progeny have dramatic proliferative ability and inexorably move toward terminal differentiation. The quiescence of stem cells has been conjectured to be of critical biologic importance in protecting the stem cell compartment, which we directly assessed using mice engineered to be deficient in the G1 checkpoint regulator, cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor, p21cip1/waf1 (p21). In the absence of p21, hematopoietic stem cell proliferation and absolute number were increased under normal homeostatic conditions. Exposing the animals to cell cycle-specific myelotoxic injury resulted in premature death due to hematopoietic cell depletion. Further, self-renewal of primitive cells was impaired in serially transplanted bone marrow from p21-/- mice, leading to hematopoietic failure. Therefore, p21 is the molecular switch governing the entry of stem cells into the cell cycle, and in its absence, increased cell cycling leads to stem cell exhaustion. Under conditions of stress, restricted cell cycling is crucial to prevent premature stem cell depletion and hematopoietic death.     

Stem cell depletion through epidermal deletion of Rac1

Mammalian epidermis is maintained by self-renewal of stem cells, but the underlying mechanisms are unknown. Deletion of Rac1, a Rho guanosine triphosphatase, in adult mouse epidermis stimulated stem cells to divide and undergo terminal differentiation, leading to failure to maintain the interfollicular epidermis, hair follicles, and sebaceous glands. Rac1 exerts its effects in the epidermis by negatively regulating c-Myc through p21-activated kinase 2 (PAK2) phosphorylation. We conclude that a pleiotropic regulator of cell adhesion and the cytoskeleton plays a critical role in controlling exit from the stem cell niche and propose that Rac and Myc represent a global stem cell regulatory axis.     

G1 events and regulation of cell proliferation

Cells prepare for S phase during the G1 phase of the cell cycle. Cell biological methods have provided knowledge of cycle kinetics and of substages of G1 that are determined by extracellular signals. Through the use of biochemical and molecular biological techniques to study effects of growth factors, oncogenes, and inhibitors, intracellular events during G1 that lead to DNA synthesis are rapidly being discovered. Many cells in vivo are in a quiescent state (G0), with unduplicated DNA. Cells can be activated to reenter the cycle during G1. Similarly, cells in culture can be shifted between G0 and G1. These switches in and out of G1 are the main determinants of post-embryonic cell proliferation rate and are defectively controlled in cancer cells.     

Rescue of photoreceptor degeneration in rhodopsin-null Drosophila mutants by activated Rac1

Rhodopsin is essential for photoreceptor morphogenesis; photoreceptors lacking rhodopsin degenerate in humans, mice, and Drosophila. Here we report that transgenic expression of a dominant-active Drosophila Rho guanosine triphosphatase, Drac1, rescued photoreceptor morphogenesis in rhodopsin-null mutants; expression of dominant-negative Drac1 resulted in a phenotype similar to that seen in rhodopsin-null mutants. Drac1 was localized in a specialization of the photoreceptor cortical actin cytoskeleton, which was lost in rhodopsin-null mutants. Thus, rhodopsin appears to organize the actin cytoskeleton through Drac1, contributing a structural support essential for photoreceptor morphogenesis.     

Rap1 GTPase regulation of adherens junction positioning and cell adhesion

Cell-cell junctions are distributed evenly around the lateral circumference of cells within an epithelium. We find that the even distribution of adherens junctions is an active process that requires the small guanosine triphosphatase Rap1. Cells mutant for Rap1 condensed their adherens junctions to one side of the cell. This disrupted normal epithelial cell behavior, and mutant cell clones dispersed into the surrounding wild-type tissue. Rap1 is enriched at adherens junctions, particularly between newly divided sister cells where it may reseal the adherens junction ring. The regulation of adherens junction positioning could play a role in cell mobility and cell division.     

稻瘟菌Rac1蛋白的原核表达与纯化

Ras相关的C3肉毒素底物1(Rac1)是Rho族蛋白主要成员,在稻瘟菌(Magnaporthe oryzae)的侵染致病过程中发挥重要作用.本研究目的是采用结构生物学的方法进一步探究Rac1结构与功能以及与其他蛋白互作的机制,进一步阐释其致病机制.试验以稻瘟菌的cDNA为模板,根据Ras相关的C3肉毒素底物1基因(MoRac1)序列设计特异性引物进行PCR扩增,克隆了MoRac1基因并构建原核表达载体pHAT2-Rac1,异丙基硫代半乳糖苷(IPTG)诱导表达.SDS-PAGE检测与Western blot分析表明,pHAT2-Rac1在BL21(DE3)中表达,大小为25kD.通过亲和层析、离子交换与分子筛对重组蛋白进行纯化,获得了高纯度的目的蛋白.该蛋白的表达与纯化对其结构功能的研究奠定了基础.     

Cooperative regulation of cell polarity and growth by Drosophila tumor suppressors

Loss of cell polarity and tissue architecture are characteristics of malignant cancers derived from epithelial tissues. We provide evidence from Drosophila that a group of membrane-associated proteins act in concert to regulate both epithelial structure and cell proliferation. Scribble (Scrib) is a cell junction-localized protein required for polarization of embryonic and, as demonstrated here, imaginal disc and follicular epithelia. We show that the tumor suppressors lethal giant larvae (lgl) and discs-large (dlg) have identical effects on all three epithelia, and that scrib also acts as a tumor suppressor. Scrib and Dlg colocalize and overlap with Lgl in epithelia; activity of all three genes is required for cortical localization of Lgl and junctional localization of Scrib and Dlg. scrib, dlg, and lgl show strong genetic interactions. Our data indicate that the three tumor suppressors act together in a common pathway to regulate cell polarity and growth control.     

Thymocyte expression of RAG-1 and RAG-2: termination by T cell receptor cross-linking.

The expression of the V(D)J [variable (diversity) joining elements] recombination activating genes, RAG-1 and RAG-2, has been examined during T cell development in the thymus. In situ hybridization to intact thymus and RNA blot analysis of isolated thymic subpopulations separated on the basis of T cell receptor (TCR) expression demonstrated that both TCR- and TCR+ cortical thymocytes express RAG-1 and RAG-2 messenger RNA's. Within the TCR+ population, RAG expression was observed in immature CD4+CD8+ (double positive) cells, but not in the more mature CD4+CD8- or CD4-CD8+ (single positive) subpopulations. Thus, although cortical thymocytes that bear TCR on their surface continue to express RAG-1 and RAG-2, it appears that the expression of both genes is normally terminated during subsequent thymic maturation. Since thymocyte maturation in vivo is thought to be regulated through the interaction of the TCR complex with self major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigens, these data suggest that signals transduced by the TCR complex might result in the termination of RAG expression. Consistent with this hypothesis, thymocyte TCR cross-linking in vitro led to rapid termination of RAG-1 and RAG-2 expression, whereas cross-linking of other T cell surface antigens such as CD4, CD8, or HLA class I had no effect.     

miR-204在非小细胞肺癌患者中的表达及其对SIRT1的靶向调控作用

目的 研究miR-204在非小细胞肺癌(NSCLC)患者中表达的临床意义及其对SIRT1的靶向调控作用.方法 收集39例原发性NSCLC患者的癌组织和对应癌旁组织标本.实时荧光定量PCR检测组织标本中miR-204的表达水平;并分析其与NSCLC临床病理学特征的关系.将人非小细胞肺癌细胞株A549分别转染miR-204的模拟物或抑制物,CCK-8试剂盒检测细胞的增殖,westem blot检测其潜在靶点基因SIRT1的表达.结果 癌组织中miR-204的表达量为(2.12±1.17),明显低于癌旁组织中的(3.08±1.46),P＜0.01.miR-204的表达水平与肿瘤的临床分期以及肿瘤大小有关(均P＜0.05),但与患者年龄、性别、吸烟史、分化程度、组织类型及淋巴转移情况无关(P＞0.05).A549细胞转染miR-204的抑制物后,细胞的增殖明显增强,SIRT1的表达上调;而转染miR-204模拟物则呈反向变化.结论 miR-204在NSCLC组织中呈低表达,并与患者的临床分期以及肿瘤大小有相关,其可能是通过靶向调控SIRT1而在NSCLC的发生发展中起重要作用.     

NFAT binding and regulation of T cell activation by the cytoplasmic scaffolding Homer proteins

T cell receptor (TCR) and costimulatory receptor (CD28) signals cooperate in activating T cells, although understanding of how these pathways are themselves regulated is incomplete. We found that Homer2 and Homer3, members of the Homer family of cytoplasmic scaffolding proteins, are negative regulators of T cell activation. This is achieved through binding of nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) and by competing with calcineurin. Homer-NFAT binding was also antagonized by active serine-threonine kinase AKT, thereby enhancing TCR signaling via calcineurin-dependent dephosphorylation of NFAT. This corresponded with changes in cytokine expression and an increase in effector-memory T cell populations in Homer-deficient mice, which also developed autoimmune-like pathology. These results demonstrate a further means by which costimulatory signals are regulated to control self-reactivity.     

马身猪和大白猪背最长肌Rac1基因发育性表达研究

[目的]探究Rac1基因mRNA和蛋白质在马身猪和大白猪背最长肌组织中的发育性表达规律,揭示Rac1基因与猪肌肉发育之间的关系。[方法]采用qRT-PCR和Western blot技术检测马身猪和大白猪从1日龄到180日龄(1、30、60、90、120、150和180日龄)阶段背最长肌中Rac1基因的表达规律。[结果]Rac1基因mRNA在大白猪1日龄、120日龄和180日龄时表达量较高,与其他日龄相比差异极显著(P0.01),其他日龄表达量均维持在较低水平;马身猪60日龄时Rac1 mRNA表达量最高,极显著地高于其他日龄(P0.01),90日龄次之,其他日龄表达水平较低,且日龄间表达量无显著差异。在蛋白质水平上,从1日龄到180日龄,大白猪Rac1表达量整体呈先降低后升高的趋势,在1日龄时表达量最高,120日龄表达量最低;马身猪整体呈先升高后降低的趋势,60日龄时表达量最高,极显著高于其他日龄(P0.01),随后几个月龄的表达量处于较低水平,显著低于1日龄和30日龄(P0.05)。品种间比较,马身猪Rac1蛋白表达量始终高于大白猪,且在1日龄和60日龄,差异极显著(P0.01),在120日龄和150日龄,差异显著(P0.05)。[结论]猪背最长肌中Rac1基因mRNA和蛋白质的表达量与猪的年龄及遗传背景有关。     

Positive regulation of T cell activation and integrin adhesion by the adapter Fyb/Slap

The molecular adapter Fyb/Slap regulates signaling downstream of the T cell receptor (TCR), but whether it plays a positive or negative role is controversial. We demonstrate that Fyb/Slap-deficient T cells exhibit defective proliferation and cytokine production in response to TCR stimulation. Fyb/Slap is also required in vivo for T cell-dependent immune responses. Functionally, Fyb/Slap has no apparent role in the activation of known TCR signaling pathways, F-actin polymerization, or TCR clustering. Rather, Fyb/Slap regulates TCR-induced integrin clustering and adhesion. Thus, Fyb/Slap is the first molecular adapter to be identified that couples TCR stimulation to the avidity modulation of integrins governing T cell adhesion.