β-连环素与肿瘤研究进展

Research onβ-Catenin and Tumor

β-连环素(β-catenin)作为一种重要的信号转导分子和细胞间黏附分子,是近年来研究异常活跃的蛋白。多项研究结果显示β-连环素是Wnt信号转导通路的关键调控点并是构成粘附连接的E-cd/cat复合体的胞内重要组份,并通过与多种蛋白的结合参与肿瘤的发生发展、增殖分化、侵袭转移等生物学过程。本文阐述了β-cat基因、蛋白结构、表达调控、其降解与其丝/苏氨酸磷酸化的关系、及其在细胞内转运与APC基因的调控机制的联系、其出入细胞核及核内活化转录的分子机制、β-cat作为E-cd/cat复合体重要组分如何参与肿瘤浸润、转移过程;探讨了β-cat同时参与Wnt信号转导通路及E-cd/cat复合体构成的双重功能之间的辩证联系,对β-cat研究和应用前景提出了相应的设想和展望。

As an important signal transducer and intercellular adhesion molecular, β-catenin was a protein rather actively studied in recent years. Many research results showed that β-catenin played an important role in Wnt signaling pathway and was the key intracellular component of E--cd/cat complex involved in intercellular adhesion and link. It possessed the property of binding with manifold proteins, which was closely related with many biologic behaviors including tumorigenesis, proliferation, differentiation, invasion and metastasis of tumor. In this paper, current knowledge of β-catenin, including molecular structure, protein conformation and regulation of gene expression were reviewed. It also summarized the relationship between its decay and serine/threonline phosphorylation, the connection between its intracellular transportation and regulation mechanism of APC gene. Besides, it dicussed the molecular details that how β-catertin exported and imported cell nucleus, the mechanism of its activation and transcription in nudeus, and its role in tumor invasion and metastasis as the key component of E-cd/cat complex. In the meanwhile, the dialectical relationship between the dual function of β-catenin which participated in both the Wnt signaling pathway and the construction of E-cd/cat complex simultaneously. B-catenin has aroused the widespread interest because of its thorough and fruitful researches in these areas. Lasdy, corresponding tentative ideas and prospects were proposed.