环氧二十碳三烯酸生物学作用机制的研究进展

花生四烯酸经过细胞色素P450 (cytochrome P450,CYP)表氧化酶途径生成环氧二十碳三烯酸(epoxyeicosatrienoic acids,EETs)。EETs可以通过调节离子通道和基因表达,从而发挥促进血管舒张、抗炎和细胞增殖等作用。EETs也可通过激活信号转导途径和调节基因表达或与细胞膜受体结合发挥多种生物学功能。EETs也可快速与细胞膜磷脂结合后以共吸收的方式被细胞摄取。文章主要从EETs的来源、去路、作用机制等方面进行讨论。     

Gene expression signatures in neutrophils exposed to glucocorticoids: a new paradigm to help explain "neutrophil dysfunction" in parturient dairy cows

Neutrophils are the first line of immunity against most pathogens that infect cattle. These normally short-lived white blood cells develop from myeloid-lineage cells in bone marrow. Upon maturation, bone marrow neutrophils are released into the circulation where they marginate on inflamed blood vessel endothelial cells and migrate through them into the area of infection. Once migrated, neutrophils do not reenter the circulation, but rather, perform their bactericidal functions and die by apoptosis in the tissue. The cytokine and hormonal milieu of the blood and extracellular tissue fluid can influence neutrophil development and immunity-related activities, but the molecular basis of these phenotypic changes and physiological benefits or drawbacks of them are poorly understood. In the current paper, we review new gene expression information that resulted from two of our functional genomics studies designed to evaluate effects of glucocorticoid hormones on bovine neutrophils. This work provides one model to describe complex changes that occur in neutrophils as the cells respond to glucocorticoids, which might act to alter the cells' functional priorities and tip the delicate balance between health and disease during stress, including at parturition. A bovine immunobiology microarray and real time RT-PCR were used to study blood neutrophils collected during the natural surge of endogenous glucocorticoid (cortisol) in parturient dairy cows and bone marrow neutrophils collected from glucocorticoid (dexamethasone)-treated dairy steers. The gene expression signatures we observed led us to perform additional phenotyping of the neutrophils and correlation analyses, which together painted a picture suggesting that glucocorticoids have key roles in modulating neutrophil development, life span, and tissue defense functions during parturition and hormone therapy. Based on these observations, we postulate that glucocorticoids orchestrate adaptive changes in the entire neutrophil system that support increased cell numbers and longevity in blood and heightened remodeling activity in tissues, while at the same time decreasing some important antimicrobial defense activities of the cells. Thus, our functional genomics studies have enabled us to elucidate multiple consequences of neutrophil exposure to glucocorticoids, highlighting a probable role for this interaction in the induction of parturition and partly explaining why some parturient dairy cows may experience heightened incidence and severity of inflammatory diseases like mastitis.     

脂肪酸对基因表达的影响及调控

脂肪酸是一类重要的营养物质,是动物体内的能量来源,同时也是生物膜的组成成分,在细胞生化过程中也同样起着重要作用。研究发现,脂肪酸可通过对基因表达的影响,对代谢、生长发育以及细胞分化发挥重要的调控作用。真核生物基因表达的调控大致可分为转录前、转录、转录后、翻译和翻译后等5个阶段的调控。脂肪酸通过细胞膜受体信号途径和转录因子活化途径调节基因表达,而多不饱和脂肪酸主要从基因转录和mRNA的稳定性两个方面调节基因表达。文章综述了脂肪酸,尤其是多不饱和脂肪酸对基因表达的影响及调控机制。     

Alpharma Beef Cattle Nutrition Symposium: nutrition and the genome

It has long been appreciated that animals fed the same diet may perform differently. This is due to the ability of nutrients to interact with and affect molecular pathways that result in differences in BW gain, production performance, or disease resistance. To understand these effects, studies are being undertaken to discover how the differential expression and function of genes occur with different diets. These studies are using new technologies, genomic resources, and analysis techniques that have recently become available for domestic animals. Nutrigenomics and nutrigenetics are new research approaches that strive to optimize health by looking beyond the diet to understand the effects of food at the genetic and epigenetic levels. Nutrigenomics is focused on the effects of diet on health through an understanding of how bioactive chemicals in foods and supplements alter gene expression or the structure of the genome of an animal. Nutrigenetics focuses on how the genetic composition (i.e., genetic variation) of an animal influences their response to a given diet. Results from these studies will aid in formulating nutritionally appropriate diets that may be optimized for animals based on their genomic underpinnings. Nutrigenomics and nutrigenetics unite many fields: nutrition, bioinformatics, molecular biology, genomics, functional genomics, epidemiology, and epigenomics. The use of multi-disciplinary tools promises new opportunities to investigate the complex interactions of the genome and the diet of an animal. Through these new approaches, the partnerships of the genome and nutrition will be revealed resulting in improved efficiency of diets, enhanced sustainability of animals as a protein source, and improved methods for preventing illnesses.     

杆状病毒--一种新的哺乳类细胞传递基因载体

在多角体蛋白基因启动子的控制之下 ,利用杆状病毒已有许多种重组蛋白在昆虫细胞中被表达。许多常用细胞系以及原代培养细胞能被杆状病毒有效转染 ,但几乎观察不到细胞毒性。在哺乳细胞中 ,用带有哺乳类细胞活性启动子元件的重组杆状病毒载体已成功地实现基因的瞬时和稳定传递 ,杆状病毒作为基因治疗外载体 ,能将目的基因传递给哺乳细胞 ,并直接对传递基因的表达产物产生专一性免疫反应 ;补体成份对杆状病毒向哺乳类细胞传递基因的效率有明显抑制作用 ,但假型杆状病毒对补体表现出抗性。杆状病毒介导基因传递可评价启动子在不同细胞中的强度。含有异源病毒基因组的杂交杆状病毒能发动病毒感染 ,并成功用于检验抗病毒药物的效果。杆状病毒作为安全有效的专一性基因传递载体 ,有望在将来发展成更有效的新一代基因治疗载体。     

RNA-seq技术在寄生虫研究中的应用

转录组测序(RNA-seq)是通过高通量测序方法全面快速的获悉特定组织或细胞的特定发育阶段或功能状态下所有RNA序列信息的技术。该技术以其准确和高通量等特征,被广泛应用于生物学、医学和农学等基础性研究。寄生虫在体外发育、感染入侵和体内繁殖等不同阶段,发生着一系列复杂的生物变化。采用RNA-seq技术筛选寄生虫发育、感染和繁殖等不同阶段的差异表达基因,阐明其功能,获悉寄生虫-宿主互作的分子调控机制等研究是目前的研究重点和热点。基于此,作者对RNA-seq技术在寄生虫研究中的应用作一综述。     

Identification of a potent immunostimulatory oligodeoxynucleotide from Streptococcus thermophilus lacZ

Immunostimulatory sequences of oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs), such as CpG ODNs, are potent stimulators of innate immunity. Here, we identified a strong immunostimulatory CpG ODN, which we named MsST, from the lac Z gene of Streptococcus (S.) thermophilus ATCC19258, and we evaluated its immune functions. In in vitro studies, MsST had a similar ability as the murine prototype CpG ODN 1555 to induce inflammatory cytokine production and cell proliferation. In mouse splenocytes, MsST increased the number of CD80+CD11c+and CD86+CD11c+ dendritic cells and CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells. We also analyzed the effects of MsST on the expression of regulatory cytokines by real-time quantitative PCR. MsST was more potent at inducing interleukin-10 expression than the ODN control 1612, indicating that MsST can augment the regulatory T cell response via Toll-like receptor 9, which plays an important role in suppressing T helper type 2 responses. These results suggest that S. thermophilus , whose genes include a strong Immunostimulatory sequence-ODN, is a good candidate for a starter culture to develop new physiologically functional foods and feeds.     

多不饱和脂肪酸对动物体脂沉积及其基因表达的影响

多不饱和脂肪酸(PUFA)是一类重要的营养物质,是体内重要的能量来源,同时也是细胞膜的重要组成成分,在细胞生化过程中同样起着重要作用。研究发现,日粮添加PUFA能抑制动物生脂酶基因的表达,并增加脂肪分解相关酶基因的表达,从而调节体脂代谢。PUFA主要在基因转录和mRNA的稳定性两个水平上调节基因表达,其调节机制目前认为主要有两种:一种为PUFA-PPAR依赖性机制,另一种为PPAR非依赖性或PUFA特异性机制。     

Expression of the MDR1 gene and P-glycoprotein in canine mast cell tumor cell lines

Cellular drug resistance to antineoplastic drugs is often due to the presence of a drug efflux pump that reduces intracellular drug accumulation and chemosensitivity. P-glycoprotein (P-gp), which is encoded by the MDR1 gene, is considered to function as an ATP-driven membrane drug efflux pump and appears to play an important role in tumor cell resistance. In the present report, we assessed the expression of MDR1 by RT-PCR in three canine mast cell tumor cell lines, TiMC, CoMS and LuMC, originating from a cutaneous tumor, an oral-mucosal tumor and a gastrointestinal tumor, respectively. P-gp expression was also examined by Western blot analysis, while the functional activity of P-gp was assessed by flowcytometric analysis of intracellular rhodamine-123 (Rhd-123) uptake. The results revealed that MDR1 gene and P-gp were both expressed in CoMS and LuMC cells, whereas neither was present in TiMC cells. In CoMS and LuMC cells, intracellular uptake of Rhd-123 increased in the presence of verapamil, a functional modulator of P-gp. In contrast, TiMC cells did not show any changes in the intracellular accumulation of Rhd-123 after the verapamil addition. These findings suggest that the expressions of MDR1 gene and P-gp probably contribute to cellular drug resistance in canine mast cell tumors.     

人血小板生成素基因的克隆及CHO稳定细胞系的建立

 以人肝cDNA为模板克隆了人血小板生成素（Human Thrombopoietin,hTPO）基因,利用基因重组技术构建了带有新霉素抗性基因（neo）筛选标记的pcDNA3.1(+)-hTPO真核表达载体,将重组质粒瞬时转染293T细胞,用鼠抗人TPO 单抗Western blot 检测 TPO蛋白的瞬时表达;再将重组质粒转染中国仓鼠卵巢细胞(Chinese Hamster Ovary,CHO),应用400 μg/mL的G418筛选克隆,经PCR及Western blot验证,获得了3株hTPO蛋白表达水平不同的CHO细胞系,为获得大量蛋白并进行活性功能试验及临床应用奠定基础。     

营养基因组学的研究进展

营养基因组学是研究日粮或营养物质在基因学范畴中,在某个特定时刻,对细胞、组织或生物体的转录组、蛋白质组和代谢组产生影响的一门学科。从20世纪80年代开始,人们逐渐意识到营养素也是一种基因表达的调控物质,可直接或独立地调控基因表达。随着人类基因组计划的完成及正在开展的家畜基因组测序工作的顺利进行,营养科学已经从机体代谢和组织细胞的层面发展到基因层面上来;且从研究营养素对单个基因的表达及作用开始向基因组及表达产物在代谢调节中的作用,即营养基因组研究方向发展。本文将就营养基因组学的概念、所涉及到的主要技术、主要研究进展及其在动物生产领域的应用前景做一综述。     

动物细胞核功能蛋白质组学研究进展

细胞核是细胞遗传和代谢的调控中心,细胞核功能蛋白质组已成为蛋白质组学研究的热点。细胞核内含有较多的功能蛋白质,有些参与转录调控,有些参与核质转运。在蛋白质组学水平检测特定状态下细胞核中的功能蛋白活性对深入研究基因表达调控的分子机制具有重要的意义。本文就目前的细胞核功能蛋白质组学研究成果进行综述。     

Cell surface expression and internalization of the murine erythroid AE1 anion exchanger tagged with an extracellular FLAG epitope

Anion exchanger 1 (AE1) is the most abundant integral membrane protein in red cells and is essential for maintaining red cell mechanical stability. However, the mechanism for the assembly of AE1 into the membrane skeletal network remains unknown. Several mutants of murine AE1 tagged with an N-terminal enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) and/or an extracellular FLAG epitope inserted adjacent to the N-glycosylation site were prepared, and their expression was analyzed in HEK293 or COS-1 cells by immunofluorescence microscopy, biotinylation, and deglycosylation. The EGFP- and FLAG-tagged AE1 mutant, as well as the wild-type AE1, exhibited cell surface expression in transfected cells and showed a rapid internalization that appeared to occur through the early endosome into the Golgi apparatus. Interestingly, the form of the protein with an endoglycosidase H (endo H)-sensitive N-glycan was the major component of EGFP-tagged and wild-type AE1. By contrast, the polypeptide with an endo H-resistant oligosaccharide was the predominant form of FLAG-tagged AE1. These data demonstrate that the processing of N-glycan is not a prerequisite to cell surface expression of AE1 and suggest that the FLAG tag insertion altered the accessibility of the N-glycan to enzymes in the Golgi which facilitate processing of oligosaccharides. Although whether this structural alteration would affect the structural and functional properties of AE1 remains unknown, cell surface expression and endocytic internalization of FLAG-tagged AE1 mutants indicate that these mutants are suitable for studying the mechanisms of the assembly and plasma membrane insertion of AE1.     

Hematoporphyrin monomethyl ether combined with He–Ne laser irradiation-induced apoptosis in canine breast cancer cells through the mitochondrial pathway

Hematoporphyrin monomethyl ether (HMME) combined with He-Ne laser irradiation is a novel and promising photodynamic therapy (PDT)-induced apoptosis that can be applied in vitro on canine breast cancer cells. However, the exact pathway responsible for HMME-PDT in canine breast cancer cells remains unknown. CHMm cells morphology and apoptosis were analyzed using optical microscope, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling fluorescein staining and DNA ladder assays. Apoptotic pathway was further confirmed by Real-time-polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting assays. Our results showed that HMME-PDT induced significant changes in cell morphology, such as formation of cytoplasmic vacuoles and the gradual rounding of cells coupled with decreased size and detachment. DNA fragmentation and cell death was shown to occur in a time-dependent manner. Furthermore, HMME-PDT increased the activities of caspase-9 and caspase-3, and released cytochrome c from mitochondria into the cytoplasm. HMME-PDT also significantly increased both mRNA and protein levels of Bax and decreased P53 gene expression in a time-dependent manner, while the mRNA and protein expression of Bcl-2 were repressed. These alterations suggest that HMME-PDT induced CHMm cell apoptosis via the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway and had anti-canine breast cancer effects in vitro.