猪CD8β基因的克隆、表达及其结构与功能分析

本研究应用RT-PCR技术,从猪胸腺细胞总RNA中扩增、克隆了猪CD8β基因,序列分析表明CD8β含621 bp的开放阅读框,编码207个氨基酸,与NCBI/GeneBank已发表的参考基因的核苷酸及推导氨基酸序列的同源性分别为97.8%和96.8%,与人、小鼠和鸡CD8B蛋白的氨基酸同源性分别为75.7%、67.9%和33.3%.根据大肠杆菌密码子偏嗜性改造目的基因,构建了pET28a/PCD8 β原核表达系统,并经诱导获得高效表达的分子量为24 ku的重组蛋白(rPCD8 β),表达量占菌体蛋白总量的30%.利用生物信息学和分子生物学软件对猪CD8 β基因编码的蛋白进行结构预测,表明猪CD8 β成熟蛋白为跨膜蛋白,其中172aa在胞外区,22aa在跨膜区,10aa在胞内区;蛋白骨架内含有较多的柔性区域,而且分布不均匀.能形成结构松散的球状蛋白;猪CD8 β分子V区三维结构与鼠的具有非常相似的空间结构,与人的差别较大,这为猪CD8B蛋白结构与功能的进一步研究奠定了基础.     

Bovine viral diarrhea viruses modulate toll-like receptors, cytokines and co-stimulatory molecules genes expression in bovine peripheral blood monocytes

We have used noncytopathic (ncp) and cytopathic (cp) Bovine Viral Diarrhea Viruses (BVDV) to determine the expression levels of TLR genes, type I IFN, pro-inflammatory and Th1/Th2 cytokine gene expression in bovine monocytes. In general, both BVDV strains had similar effects. However, we found some significant differences that could be due to biological differences between cp and ncp BVDV strains. TLR3 was significantly up-regulated in 1h ncp, but not in cp BVDV- infected monocytes, whereas TLR7 expression dominated in 24h infection with both BVDV strains. Type I IFN and IL-12 gene expression was also significantly up-regulated in 1h ncp, but not cp BVDV infection that correlated with the enhanced TLR3 gene expression. Both BVDV biotypes suppressed pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, and IL-6, co-stimulatory molecules CD80 and CD86, but did not change Th1 type cytokine IL-12 and INF-gamma, gene expression after 24h infection. We hypothesize that BVDV may escape immune responses by altering the expression of TLR 3 and 7 and their signaling pathways.     

Bovine hepatocyte growth factor and its receptor c-Met: cDNA cloning and expression analysis in the mammary gland

Hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF) is a pleiotropic cytokine that plays a crucial role in the embryonic and postnatal development of various organs including the mammary gland. We cloned bovine HGF and its c-Met receptor cDNAs, and examined their expression during mammary gland development in dairy cows. The 2.5-kbp HGF cDNA clone contained a 2190 bp open reading frame coding a 730 amino acid protein, while the 4.8-kbp c-Met cDNA clone contained a 4152 bp open reading frame coding a 1384 amino acid protein. The bovine HGF and c-Met sequences exhibited more than 87% identity with those of other mammals. RT-PCR analysis revealed ubiquitous expression of both HGF and c-Met mRNAs in various bovine tissues tested. HGF mRNA was detected only in the inactive stage of bovine mammary gland development and not in the developing, lactating, and involuting stages, while c-Met mRNA was detected in the inactive and involuting stages. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated that the c-Met protein was found on mammary epithelial cells in the inactive, developing, and involuting stages, and on myoepithelial cells in all stages. These results suggest pivotal roles of HGF and c-Met in the development of bovine mammary gland.     

Molecular cloning and expression analysis of the canine chemokine receptor CCR9

The chemokine receptor CCR9, which interacts with the thymus-expressed chemokine TECK/CCL25, contributes to the localization of lymphocytes to the small intestine, and is implicated in the development of human inflammatory bowel disease (IBD); however, their role in canine IBD is unknown. The objective of this study was to isolate cDNA encoding CCR9 and to investigate CCR9 expression in normal canine tissues and lymphoid cell lines. The complete open reading frame contained 1104 bp, encoding 367 amino acids, with 85% and 81% identity to human and mouse homologs, respectively. CCR9 mRNA was detected in all tissues investigated with the highest expression level in the small intestine. CCR9 mRNA was also expressed in GL-1, a canine B cell leukemia cell line, but not in CLBL-1, a canine B cell lymphoma cell line. Immunoblot and flow cytometry analyses of these cell lines using an anti-human CCR9 monoclonal antibody revealed that CCR9 protein expression was detected only in GL-1, indicating the cross-reactivity of the antibody. Using the antibody, flow cytometry showed that the proportions of CCR9(+) cells were small (mean, 4.88%; SD, 2.15%) in the normal canine PBMCs. This study will be useful in understanding canine intestinal immunity and the immunopathogenesis of canine IBD.     

猪Toll样受体9基因的克隆、序列分析及其结构预测

本研究应用反转录-聚合酶链式反应(RT-PCR)扩增技术,从猪脾脏淋巴细胞中,克隆了猪Toll样受体9基因(pTLR9).基因序列分析表明,克隆的pTLR9基因ORF为3 093 bp,编码1 030个氨基酸,含18.5%的亮氨酸,含有24个氨基酸的信号肤序列,属于Ⅰ型跨膜受体,具有富含亮氨酸的重复序列(LRR)和Toll/IL-1R同源区结构域;与GenBank上登载的pTLR9参考序列(AY859728)的同源性为99.3%,与牛、马、羊和人的同源性较高,与家鼠、褐鼠的次之,TLR9的演化关系与亲缘关系密切.     

Bacterial lipopolysaccharide induces mRNA expression of an IkappaB MAIL through toll-like receptor 4

Molecule possessing ankyrin-repeats induced by lipopolysaccharide (MAIL) is a nuclear IkappaB protein recently identified as a molecule appearing in immunocompetent organs after administration of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Participation of Toll-like receptor (TLR) 4, which is a major form of LPS receptors, in the LPS-induced MAIL expression was investigated. When a human myelomonocytic cell line U937 was treated with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate for 3 days, the LPS-induced MAIL expression was much potentiated in parallel with an increase in TLR4 expression. The MAIL induction was attenuated when the cells were treated with a neutralizing antibody against TLR4. The in vivo induction of MAIL in the spleen was smaller in mice having a missense mutation of the Tlr4 gene than in normal control mice. These results collectively indicate that TLR4 contributes, at least in part, MAIL induction after LPS stimulation.     

Canine Lat1: molecular structure, distribution and its expression in cancer samples

A full-length cDNA sequence of canine L-type amino acid transporter 1 (Lat1) was determined from a canine brain. The sequence was 1828 bp long and was predicted to encode 485 amino acid polypeptides. The deduced amino acid sequence of canine Lat1 showed 93.2% and 91.1% similarities to those of humans and rats, respectively. Northern blot analysis detected Lat1 expression in the cerebellum at 4 kb, and Western blot analysis showed a single band at 40 kDa. RT-PCR analysis revealed a distinct expression of Lat1 in the pancreas and testis in addition to the cerebrum and cerebellum. Notably, Lat1 expression was observed in the tissues of thyroid cancer, melanoma and hemangiopericytoma. Although the cancer samples examined were not enough, Lat1 may serve as a useful biomarker of cancer cells in veterinary clinic.     

猪CD74基因克隆、分子特性及其功能区结构研究

为研究猪CD74分子特性和功能,应用RT-PCR和RACE(rapid amplification of cDNA Ends)技术从猪脾脏细胞中克隆了完整的猪CD74基因。根据已知的部分CD74基因保守区序列,自行设计1对简并引物,扩增CD74较为保守的部分基因片段,根据测序结果设计系列引物扩增CD74基因,最后根据全基因测序结果设计1对特异性引物扩增猪CD74全长基因。分析和比对测序结果显示,完整的猪CD74基因全长存在1 145、1 337nt 2种类型,对应编码阅读框为651、843nt,分别编码217和281个氨基酸,提示猪CD74存在2种异构体结构。氨基酸序列研究表明,猪CD74与其他物种的CD74分子存在类似的胞浆区、跨膜区、内质网区和甲状腺区等功能区,存在L7I8和P15M16L17两个内体定位基元,内质网区包含CLIP区和三聚体区等结构域,异构体1 337nt较1 145nt多了编码64个氨基酸的Tg区。遗传进化分析显示,猪CD74与哺乳类物种间存在较高同源性,可达57%~82%,与禽类的CD74同源性为45%~51%,与鱼类、爬行类物种同源性最低仅为25%~34%。3D模拟结构显示,猪CD74与小鼠、人及禽类CD74存在类似的结构域,其中在一些关键部位氨基酸基本相同。     

Effect of synthetic agonists of toll-like receptor 9 on canine lymphocyte proliferation and cytokine production in vitro

Synthetic agonists of TLR9 containing novel DNA structures and R'pG (wherein R=1-(2'-deoxy-beta-d-ribofuranosyl)-2-oxo-7-deaza-8-methyl-purine) motifs, referred to as immune modulatory oligonucleotides (IMOs), have been shown to stimulate T(H)-1-type-immune responses and potently reverse allergen-induced T(H)-2 responses to T(H)-1 responses in vitro and in vivo in mice. In order to investigate the immunomodulatory potential of IMOs in dogs, canine peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from healthy dogs were stimulated with three different IMOs and a control IMO, alone or in combination with concanavalin A (ConA). Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was used as a positive control for B lymphocyte activation. Carboxyfluorescein diacetate succinimidyl ester and phenotype staining was used to tag proliferating T and B lymphocytes (CD5(+) and CD21(+)) by flow cytometry. Real-time PCR and ELISA were processed to assay cytokine production of IFN-gamma, IL-10, TGF-beta, IL-6 and IL-10. Like LPS, IMOs alone induced neither proliferation of CD5(+) T cells nor CD21(+) B cells, but both LPS and IMO had the capacity to co-stimulate ConA and induced proliferation of B cells. In combination with ConA, one of the IMOs (IMO1) also induced proliferation of T cells. IMO1 also significantly enhanced the expression of IFN-gamma on the mRNA and protein level in canine PBMC, whereas expression of IL-10, TGF-beta and IL-4 mRNAs was not induced by any of the IMOs. These results indicate that in canine PBMC from healthy dogs, IMO1 was able to induce a T(H)-1 immune response including T- and B-cell proliferation.     

Bovine interleukin 2: cloning, high level expression, and purification

We utilized a human IL2 probe to isolate bovine IL2 sequences from a lymph node cDNA library. Bovine IL2 was subsequently expressed in both bacteria and yeast. Using a rapid, two-step purification scheme, we have been able to isolate over 20 mg/l of homogenous bovine rIL2 secreted from the yeast. The availability of sizable quantities of bovine rIL2 should make it possible to ascertain potential therapeutic or prophylactic utility of this lymphokine in cattle.     

Bovine leukocyte adhesion deficiency: in vitro assessment of neutrophil function and leukocyte integrin expression.

Bovine leukocyte adhesion deficiency (BLAD) was identified in a two-month-old Holstein heifer calf using DNA-polymerase chain reaction analysis of the affected calf and other clinical parameters. Neutrophil integrin expression (CD18, CD11a, CD11c), aggregation, and transendothelial migration were studied in vitro. Neutrophils were isolated from the affected calf and from normal, healthy, age-matched control Holstein calves. Neutrophils isolated from the affected BLAD calf had decreased expression of leukocyte integrins on their cell surface, decreased ability to aggregate in response to chemotactic stimuli, and decreased ability to migrate across bovine endothelial cell monolayers in vitro. Transendothelial migration of neutrophils from normal calves was reduced to levels comparable to the BLAD neutrophils by treatment with an anti-CD18 monoclonal antibody (MAb 60.3). Peripheral-blood lymphocytes from the BLAD calf also expressed negligible levels of leukocyte integrins, similar to their neutrophil counterparts. Our experimental findings in vitro correlate well with the clinical observations of decreased leukocyte trafficking and diminished host defense in leukocyte adhesion-deficient animals. The syndrome of BLAD may be a suitable model for one of the human leukocyte adhesion deficiency disorders.     

Polymorphisms in toll-like receptor 1 and 9 genes and their association with tuberculosis susceptibility in Chinese Holstein cattle

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are a class of pattern recognition receptors that play a pivotal role in the innate and adaptive immune systems. Studies have shown that TLR variants play roles in various human infectious diseases. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the functional genetic variations at positions C632T, G1409A, A1475C, G1550A and G1596A in TLR1 and at A2700G and A3156G in TLR9 confer susceptibility or resistance to bovine tuberculosis (bTB). Genotyping of the TLR1 and TLR9 gene polymorphisms was performed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and single-strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) in 586 Chinese Holstein cows (154 infected with bTB, 432 non-infected). The frequencies of the GH and HH genotypes at TLR1-G1596A differed significantly between bTB-infected and non-infected animals [p=0.001 for both GH and HH; GH odds ratio (OR)=2.43 95% confidence interval (CI) (1.47-4.03); and HH OR=1.49 95% CI (0.85-2.62)]. There was a trend toward an increased relative risk of tuberculosis (TB) incidence in the CD genotype at the TLR1-A1475C locus [p=0.056, OR=1.59 95% CI (0.98-2.58)]. The present study suggests that variants in the TLR1 gene are associated with susceptibility to bTB, whereas no significant association can be inferred from the polymorphisms in the TLR9 gene.     

猪Toll样受体5基因cDNA克隆、蛋白质序列分析及其意义

为了解猪Toll样受体5(TLR5)蛋白的结构特征和进化关系,本研究从肠系膜淋巴结组织总RNA中克隆出猪Toll样受体5基因的cDNA序列。序列全长2641bp,其中2571bp的开放阅读框编码856个氨基酸残基的猪TLR5,含17.4%的亮氨酸,并有一段19个氨基酸的信号肽序列;同源性分析结果显示,TLR5在进化过程中具有高度保守性,与人、牛、山羊、绵羊、小鼠和大鼠的氨基酸序列同源性分别为77.5%、79.6%、78.3%、81.0%、69.2%和68.9%。蛋白分子结构预测结果表明,该分子由胞外区(642个氨基酸)、跨膜区(23个氨基酸)和胞内区(191个氨基酸)组成,胞外区具有LRR结构域,胞内区具有TIR结构域,表现出典型的TLR家族结构特征。表明猪TLR5分子具有病原分子模式识别和信号传导的作用,这为其结构与功能的进一步研究奠定了基础。