Function of PI3Kgamma in thymocyte development, T cell activation, and neutrophil migration

Phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3Ks) regulate fundamental cellular responses such as proliferation, apoptosis, cell motility, and adhesion. Viable gene-targeted mice lacking the p110 catalytic subunit of PI3Kgamma were generated. We show that PI3Kgamma controls thymocyte survival and activation of mature T cells but has no role in the development or function of B cells. PI3Kgamma-deficient neutrophils exhibited severe defects in migration and respiratory burst in response to heterotrimeric GTP-binding protein (G protein)-coupled receptor (GPCR) agonists and chemotactic agents. PI3Kgamma links GPCR stimulation to the formation of phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-triphosphate and the activation of protein kinase B, ribosomal protein S6 kinase, and extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2. Thus, PI3Kgamma regulates thymocyte development, T cell activation, neutrophil migration, and the oxidative burst.     

Roles of PLC-beta2 and -beta3 and PI3Kgamma in chemoattractant-mediated signal transduction

The roles of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) and phospholipase C (PLC) in chemoattractant-elicited responses were studied in mice lacking these key enzymes. PI3Kgamma was required for chemoattractant-induced production of phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate [PtdIns (3,4,5)P3] and has an important role in chemoattractant-induced superoxide production and chemotaxis in mouse neutrophils and in production of T cell-independent antigen-specific antibodies composed of the immunoglobulin lambda light chain (TI-IglambdaL). The study of the mice lacking PLC-beta2 and -beta3 revealed that the PLC pathways have an important role in chemoattractant-mediated production of superoxide and regulation of protein kinases, but not chemotaxis. The PLC pathways also appear to inhibit the chemotactic activity induced by certain chemoattractants and to suppress TI-IglambdaL production.     

PI3Kgamma is a key regulator of inflammatory responses and cardiovascular homeostasis

Class I phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) signaling pathways regulate several important cellular functions, including cellular growth, division, survival, and movement. Class IB PI3K (also known as PI3Kgamma) links heterotrimeric GTP-binding protein-coupled receptors to these pathways. Activation of class IB PI3K results in the rapid synthesis of phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-trisphosphate [PtdIns(3,4,5)P3] and its dephosphorylation product PtdIns(3,4)P2 in the plasma membrane. These two lipid messengers bind to pleckstrin homology domain-containing effectors that regulate a complex signaling web downstream of receptor activation. Characteristic features of this pathway are the regulation of protein kinases and the regulation of small guanosine triphosphatases that control cellular movement, adhesion, contraction, and secretion. Most of the ligands that activate class IB PI3K are involved in coordinating the body's response to injury and infection, and recent studies suggest that small molecule inhibitors of this enzyme may represent a novel class of anti-inflammatory therapeutic agents.     

AMP-activated protein kinase regulates neuronal polarization by interfering with PI 3-kinase localization

Axon-dendrite polarization is crucial for neural network wiring and information processing in the brain. Polarization begins with the transformation of a single neurite into an axon and its subsequent rapid extension, which requires coordination of cellular energy status to allow for transport of building materials to support axon growth. We found that activation of the energy-sensing adenosine 5'-monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathway suppressed axon initiation and neuronal polarization. Phosphorylation of the kinesin light chain of the Kif5 motor protein by AMPK disrupted the association of the motor with phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), preventing PI3K targeting to the axonal tip and inhibiting polarization and axon growth.     

Tumor necrosis factor (cachectin) as an essential mediator in murine cerebral malaria

Tumor necrosis factor, or cachectin (TNF-alpha), a protein with a wide range of biological activities, is produced mainly by macrophages and may be important in inflammatory processes. The role of TNF-alpha in the pathogenesis of cerebral malaria was investigated in a murine model. Most CBA mice infected with Plasmodium berghei anka die between days 6 and 14 with acute neurological manifestations unrelated to the level of parasitemia, whereas mice of some other strains have malaria of the same severity that ends in death after 3 to 4 weeks without neurological manifestations. The activity of serum TNF-alpha was considerably increased in CBA/Ca mice with cerebral malaria but not in Plasmodium berghei-infected mice that did not develop this complication. One injection of rabbit antibody to TNF-alpha on day 4 or 7 fully protected infected mice from cerebral malaria without modifying the parasitemia, whereas immunoglobulins from normal rabbit had no effect. In mice with cerebral malaria, the cerebral vessels showed focal accumulations of packed macrophages often containing infected erythrocytes; this lesion was not seen in mice treated with antibody to TNF-alpha or in untreated mice without cerebral malaria. These findings indicate that TNF-alpha has an important role in the pathogenesis of cerebral malaria in this murine model and suggest that local accumulation and activation of macrophages may lead to the predominance of lesions in the central nervous system.     

The neutrophil-activating protein (NAP-1) is also chemotactic for T lymphocytes

T lymphocyte chemotactic factor (TCF) was purified to homogeneity from the conditioned media of phytohemagglutinin-stimulated human blood mononuclear leukocytes by a sequence of chromatography procedures. The amino-terminal amino acid sequence of the purified TCF showed identity with neutrophil-activating protein (NAP-1). Both TCF and recombinant NAP-1 (rNAP-1) were chemotactic for neutrophils and T lymphocytes in vitro supporting the identity of TCF with NAP-1. Injection of rNAP-1 into lymphatic drainage areas of lymph nodes in Fisher rats caused accelerated emigration of only lymphocytes in high endothelial venules. Intradermal injection of rNAP-1 caused dose-dependent accumulation of neutrophils and lymphocytes.     

Shared actions of endotoxin and taxol on TNF receptors and TNF release

Bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) exerts profound effects on mammalian hosts in part by inducing macrophages to release tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha); the mechanisms involved are unresolved. The microtubule stabilizer taxol shared two actions of LPS on macrophages: it rapidly decreased TNF-alpha receptors and triggered TNF-alpha release. Both actions of taxol were absent in LPS-hyporesponsive C3H/HeJ mice. In recombinant inbred mice, the genes controlling responses to LPS and to taxol were closely linked. Dexamethasone blocked release of TNF-alpha by both stimuli but did not block the decrease in TNF-alpha receptors. Thus, a protein associated with microtubules may be a cellular target of LPS.     

Localization of PDGF-B protein in macrophages in all phases of atherogenesis

Lesions of atherosclerosis occur in the innermost layer of the artery wall and consist primarily of proliferated smooth muscle cells surrounded by large amounts of connective tissue, numerous lipid-laden macrophages, and varying numbers of lymphocytes. Growth-regulatory molecules may be involved in intimal accumulation and proliferation of smooth muscle cells responsible for the occlusive lesions of atherosclerosis. Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) B-chain protein was found within macrophages in all stages of lesion development in both human and nonhuman primate atherosclerosis. Thus macrophages may play a critical role in the disease by providing PDGF, a potent chemotactic and growth-stimulatory molecule, to the intimal smooth muscle cells.     

Role of phosphatidylinositol kinase in PDGF receptor signal transduction

The molecules with which the platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) receptor interacts to elicit the biochemical reactions responsible for cell proliferation have not been identified. Antisera directed against specific PDGF receptor peptides coprecipitated a phosphatidylinositol (PI) kinase and the PDGF receptor. Immunoprecipitates from PDGF-stimulated cells contained 10 to 50 times as much PI kinase as those from unstimulated cells. Mutation of the PDGF receptor by deletion of its kinase insert region resulted in a receptor markedly less effective than the wild type in eliciting cell proliferation and defective in PDGF-stimulated PI kinase, but still capable of PDGF-induced receptor autophosphorylation and phosphoinositide hydrolysis. These data show that the PDGF receptor is physically associated with a PDGF-sensitive PI kinase that is distinct from tyrosine kinase and is not required for PDGF-induced PI hydrolysis. The finding that the mutant PDGF receptor missing the kinase insert domain elicited known early biochemical responses to PDGF, but did not associate with or regulate PI kinase, suggests a novel role for the receptor-associated PI kinase in the transmission of mitogenic signals.     

A potential second messenger role for unsaturated fatty acids: activation of Ca2+-dependent protein kinase

Arachidonate and other unsaturated long-chain fatty acids were found to activate protein kinase C from human neutrophils. Kinase activation by arachidonate required calcium and was enhanced by diolein but did not require exogenous phosphatidylserine. Submaximal levels of arachidonate also enhanced the affinity of the kinase for calcium during activation by phosphatidylserine. Thus the release of arachidonate, which is triggered in many cell types by ligand-receptor interactions, could play a second messenger role in the regulation of cellular function by activation of protein kinase C.     

大豆杂交后代籽粒蛋白质和脂肪积累模式与亲本相异性分析

 【目的】本研究拟通过对3个基因型亲本和其杂交后代籽粒蛋白质和脂肪积累模式的对比分析,以了解大豆种子发育过程中碳分配规律与杂交后代籽粒蛋白质含量分异的相关关系,为未来大豆优质育种提供参考。【方法】以3个基因型大豆（Glycine max L. Merr：高蛋白品种PI153.217（H）、低蛋白品种PI294.372（L）和高产低蛋白品种 Evans (E)）为亲本进行两两杂交（H×E,L×E）后,从H×E杂交组合中选出高蛋白品系RIL（HH）和低蛋白品系RIL(HL),从L×E杂交组合中选出高蛋白品系RIL(LH)和低蛋白品系RIL（LL）。将亲本和杂交后代种子同时种植在试验地,在开花后的第18天开始,每隔5 d采收一次豆荚直到种子成熟,并分析不同时间收集的种子组分。【结果】亲本H和L种子生育期短（开花后48 d）,但生长快。高产品系E（植株高大,每株上的豆荚数多）生育期较长（开花后60 d）,生长速率较低。杂交后代RIL（HH）生长模式与H相同,RIL（LL）与L和E的相同。不同基因型亲本蛋白质和脂肪积累模式主要在发育的中晚期不同。在种子生长的中晚期,H蛋白质持续快速积累到种子成熟,Ｌ和Ｅ相对积累较慢;开花后40 d H脂肪积累达到最高,而L和E仍缓慢积累。不同杂交组合的高蛋白品系HH（70）和LH（372）种子脂肪和蛋白质积累模式和H亲本相似,低蛋白品系LL（389）和HL（42）和E亲本相似。同一杂交组合蛋白质含量发生分异的杂交后代HH（70）保持了与H一样的脂肪和蛋白质积累模式,HL（42）趋向与和E一样脂肪积累模式。【结论】种子发育过程中碳分配趋向决定着成熟种子蛋白质和脂肪含量,杂交后代中蛋白质含量的分异与中晚期种子发育过程中碳分配途径变化密切相关。为此,了解种子发育过程中碳分配基因调控机理对提高大豆种子蛋白质含量十分重要。     

PI3K/Akt信号转导通路在ALV-J感染中作用的初步研究

 【目的】探讨ALV-J在宿主细胞中复制与PI3K/Akt信号转导通路的关系。【方法】将血管瘤病变型ALV-J毒株HN06和骨髓瘤病变型ALV-J毒株NX0101分别感染DF-1细胞,通过Western blot、Real-time PCR、IFA和ELISA等方法,观察细胞Akt蛋白磷酸化水平、病毒RNA表达水平和病毒蛋白表达水平等指标。【结果】HN06株和NX0101株在体外细胞中复制水平有差异。HN06株的早期感染可引起Akt转导通路的活化,病毒引起的Akt磷酸化具有病毒滴度依赖性,而且能被PI3K特异性抑制剂LY294002所抑制,表明HN06株诱导的Akt活化是PI3K途径依赖的。LY294002可在病毒感染早期呈剂量依赖性地显著降低受染细胞中HN06 RNA水平、囊膜蛋白水平和细胞培养物上清中的病毒粒子含量。【结论】PI3K/Akt信号转导通路活化对HN06株在细胞感染早期具有重要的作用,该结果与已报道的有关细胞PI3K/Akt信号转导通路参与NX0101株的早期感染的结论一致。本研究为进一步阐明ALV-J入侵宿主细胞和复制的精确机制等研究奠定了基础。     

LPS与ATP共同诱导巨噬细胞中NLRP3炎症小体的激活

【目的】以脂多糖(LPS)为刺激源,探索小鼠巨噬细胞(RAW264.7)中NOD样受体家族pyrin结构域蛋白3(NLRP3)炎性小体激活的响应机制。【方法】试验分为对照组、LPS组、LPS与ATP共同刺激组。ELISA检测NLRP3源性白介素-1β(IL-1β)表达情况;RT-PCR检测NLRP3、Caspase-1、白介素-1β(IL-1β)的转录水平;ELISA检测LPS与NLRP3其他激动剂(MSU、CPPD、SiO2、Alum)共同作用后IL-1β的表达以及PI染色检测细胞焦亡。【结果】与对照组相比,LPS刺激组对IL-1β的表达无显著影响,LPS/ATP共同刺激组IL-1β的表达显著升高;LPS/ATP刺激组NLRP3、Caspase-1、IL-1βmRNA的表达显著升高且LPS/ATP刺激组发生明显的细胞焦亡。【结论】LPS与ATP共同作用能够显著提高NLRP3、Caspase-1、IL-1β的表达,说明LPS对NLRP3炎性小体的激活是LPS与ATP共同作用实现的。     

Differentiation stage-specific inhibition of the Raf-MEK-ERK pathway by Akt

Extracellular signals often result in simultaneous activation of both the Raf-MEK-ERK and PI3K-Akt pathways (where ERK is extracellular-regulated kinase, MEK is mitogen-activated protein kinase or ERK kinase, and PI3K is phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase). However, these two signaling pathways were shown to exert opposing effects on muscle cell hypertrophy. Furthermore, the PI3K-Akt pathway was shown to inhibit the Raf-MEK-ERK pathway; this cross-regulation depended on the differentiation state of the cell: Akt activation inhibited the Raf-MEK-ERK pathway in differentiated myotubes, but not in their myoblast precursors. The stage-specific inhibitory action of Akt correlated with its stage-specific ability to form a complex with Raf, suggesting the existence of differentially expressed mediators of an inhibitory Akt-Raf complex.     

小麦重要自噬相关基因ATG18的鉴定和表达分析

【目的】克隆小麦重要自噬相关基因ATG18,分析其编码产物的序列特征和高级结构,了解其在生物、非生物胁迫及激素处理条件下的表达模式,阐明其生物学功能。【方法】利用EST拼接和RT-PCR方法从白粉菌侵染的小麦叶片中克隆ATG18 cDNA序列,利用生物信息学方法进行基因的外显子-内含子结构分析、编码蛋白的结构域和保守氨基酸预测、高级结构分析和物种间同源蛋白的进化分析。采用实时荧光定量PCR方法研究基因表达对白粉菌侵染和外源激素处理的响应模式及对高盐、干旱、低温黑暗和缺氮培养等逆境胁迫处理的响应模式。【结果】获得了4个小麦ATG18家族成员（TaATG18a、TaATG18b、TaATG18c和TaATG18d）cDNA。4个基因高度相似,均含有1 158 bp开放阅读框（ORF）,编码385个氨基酸的蛋白质。4个基因的编码蛋白在一级结构上均含有典型的WD-40结构域、磷脂酰肌醇-3-磷酸（PI3P）结合基序和保守的ATG2结合位点氨基酸残基。4个基因均具有2种转录后的可变剪接方式,2种剪接产物mRNA分别编码完整的有功能蛋白和N端截短导致结构域和功能位点缺失的无功能蛋白。TaATG18a蛋白在高级结构上折叠成与其他WD-40蛋白类似的β-推进器样构象,PI3P结合基序位于推进器第五叶片的折叠4和第五、六叶片的连接部分,ATG2结合位点位于连接第二叶片和第三叶片的loop上。TaATG18s能够被白粉菌侵染诱导表达,但具体的诱导表达模式在抗、感白粉病反应之间存在明显差异。在广谱抗白粉病基因Pm21和小种专一性抗白粉病基因Pm3f介导的抗病反应中,TaATG18s均呈现接种白粉菌后0-36 h期间的2次诱导表达模式,2次诱导表达时间与白粉菌侵染进程密切相关。在中感材料扬麦158遗传背景上的感病反应中,TaATG18s尽管也呈现2次诱导表达,但第一次诱导表达持续时间短且强度低于含Pm21的近等基因系上抗病反应中的表现,相反第二次诱导表达强度高于抗病反应中的表现。高感材料Chancellor遗传背景上的TaATG18s响应白粉菌侵染的表达波动较小。外源乙烯或SA处理对TaATG18s表达的调控作用在抗、感白粉病材料上明显不同,在感病材料上表现激活作用,而在抗病材料上表现抑制作用。激素处理对TaATG18s表达的调控不仅作用于转录水平,还作用于转录后的mRNA剪接环节。高盐、干旱、低温黑暗和缺氮培养等逆境处理也能够上调TaATG18s的表达。【结论】推测鉴定的4个TaATG18s编码蛋白具有通过结合PI3P定位于自噬膜表面和通过形成ATG18-ATG2复合物参与小麦自噬过程的功能。TaATG18s及其参与的自噬过程与小麦对白粉菌侵染的免疫反应密切相关,也与小麦响应非生物逆境胁迫环境相关。抗、感材料TaATG18s对同种激素信号的不同响应模式可能是导致抗、感白粉病表型差异的原因之一。     

Caveolin-1 is essential for liver regeneration

Liver regeneration is an orchestrated cellular response that coordinates cell activation, lipid metabolism, and cell division. We found that caveolin-1 gene-disrupted mice (cav1-/- mice) exhibited impaired liver regeneration and low survival after a partial hepatectomy. Hepatocytes showed dramatically reduced lipid droplet accumulation and did not advance through the cell division cycle. Treatment of cav1-/- mice with glucose (which is a predominant energy substrate when compared to lipids) drastically increased survival and reestablished progression of the cell cycle. Thus, caveolin-1 plays a crucial role in the mechanisms that coordinate lipid metabolism with the proliferative response occurring in the liver after cellular injury.     

Nicotine is chemotactic for neutrophils and enhances neutrophil responsiveness to chemotactic peptides

Neutrophils contribute to chronic bronchitis and pulmonary emphysema associated with cigarette smoking. Nicotine was found to be chemotactic for human neutrophils but not monocytes, with a peak activity at approximately 31 micromolar. In lower concentrations (comparable to those in smokers' plasma), nicotine enhanced the response of neutrophils to two chemotactic peptides. In contrast to most other chemoattractants for neutrophils, however, nicotine did not affect degranulation or superoxide production. Nicotine thus may promote inflammation and consequent lung injury in smokers.     

Local macrophage proliferation, rather than recruitment from the blood, is a signature of TH2 inflammation

A defining feature of inflammation is the accumulation of innate immune cells in the tissue that are thought to be recruited from the blood. We reveal that a distinct process exists in which tissue macrophages undergo rapid in situ proliferation in order to increase population density. This inflammatory mechanism occurred during T helper 2 (T(H)2)-related pathologies under the control of the archetypal T(H)2 cytokine interleukin-4 (IL-4) and was a fundamental component of T(H)2 inflammation because exogenous IL-4 was sufficient to drive accumulation of tissue macrophages through self-renewal. Thus, expansion of innate cells necessary for pathogen control or wound repair can occur without recruitment of potentially tissue-destructive inflammatory cells.     

卵巢颗粒细胞自噬与PI3K/AKT/FOXO3a信号通路的相关性

细胞自噬是哺乳动物细胞物质代谢的一个重要机制,与细胞凋亡共同参与卵巢卵泡的发育和闭锁,并发挥重要的作用。近年研究发现,磷脂酰肌醇3-激酶/蛋白激酶B（phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B,PI3K/AKT）信号通路参与卵巢疾病的发生。PI3K和AKT的过度激活可使原始卵泡过早发育以及卵泡过快凋亡,卵巢颗粒细胞作为卵泡发育重要的支持细胞,其功能的减退或凋亡很可能引发一系列女性内分泌方面的疾病。FOXO3a转录因子是PI3K/AKT信号通路下游的重要靶蛋白之一,参与抗增殖和凋亡。本文就关于卵巢颗粒细胞自噬与PI3K/AKT/FOXO3a信号通路的相关进展加以综述。     

健脾补土组方对体外神经元低氧/复氧后PI3K、Akt、Caspase-3表达的影响

目的 观察健脾补土组方对新生SD鼠神经元体外培养低氧/复氧后的凋亡情况以及PI3K、Akt、Caspase-3表达的影响,探讨其减少神经元凋亡的作用机制。方法 原代分离培养新生SD鼠神经元,随机分为正常血清对照组、低氧模型组、神经生长因子组、健脾补土组。将标本低氧诱导24 h,再复氧培养4 h进行造模。用流式细胞术检测神经元凋亡情况,RT-qPCR法检测PI3K、Akt、caspase-3 mRNA的表达,免疫细胞化学法和Western blot法检测PI3K、Akt、caspase-3蛋白的表达。结果 与正常对照组相比,低氧模型组神经元凋亡率显著增加,PI3K、Akt mRNA与蛋白表达显著减少,Caspase-3 mRNA与蛋白表达显著增加;与低氧模型组比较,神经生长因子组、健脾补土组神经元凋亡率均显著减少,PI3K、Akt mRNA及蛋白表达显著增强,Caspase-3 mRNA及蛋白表达显著较少（P<0.01）;与神经生长因子组比较,健脾补土组神经元凋亡率显著减少,PI3K、Akt mRNA及蛋白表达显著增加,Caspase-3 mRNA及蛋白表达显著降低。结论 健脾补土组方能减少脑缺血后神经元的凋亡,其作用机制可能与其通过上调PI3K和Akt的表达水平,最终抑制在细胞凋亡中起关键作用的因子Caspase-3的表达有关。