Hepatitis E is an enterically transmitted viral disease caused by infection with hepatitis E virus(HEV). HEV is a nonenveloped virus that bas been classified in the family of Caliciviridae. The virus appears to be a...Hepatitis E is an enterically transmitted viral disease caused by infection with hepatitis E virus(HEV). HEV is a nonenveloped virus that bas been classified in the family of Caliciviridae. The virus appears to be a polya-denylated, positive-stranded RNA virus with three major open reading frames(ORFs). The capsid protein of HEV is encoded by the open reading frame 2(ORF2). We attempted to produce a truncated capsid protein, designed p293, in Pichia pastoris. The p293 gene encoding amino acids(aa) 382-674 of HEV ORF2 was designed based on the full length of HEV ORF2, cloned into the yeast vector pPIC9K, and expressed in P. pastoris strain GS 115. SDS-PAGE and Western blotting demonstrated that the recombinant protein p293 could well be expressed in P pastoris. Under optimized conditions (culture medium pH, 6.0-6.5; methanol concentration added daily, 3.0%; inoculum density, OD600=60; induction time point, 72-96 h), the yield of soluble p293 was approximately 80 mg/L. We also observed p293 secretory expressed in P. pastoris to be 30 nm viral like particles by using electron microscopy. These results show that the p293 may has utility in the analysis of cell specific factors in the protein processing and assembly of HEV, and serve as a useful antigen for both diagnostic and vaccine purposes.展开更多
Aberrant expression of carcinoembryonic antigen(CEA) is a common feature for multiple types of cancer,which makes it an attractive target for anticancer therapy.CAtin is a novel dual cancer-specific fusion protein,c...Aberrant expression of carcinoembryonic antigen(CEA) is a common feature for multiple types of cancer,which makes it an attractive target for anticancer therapy.CAtin is a novel dual cancer-specific fusion protein,composed of an anti-CEA single-chain disulfide-stabilized Fv antibody(scdsFv) and Apoptin,a tumor-specific apoptosis-inducing protein.Oral squamous cell carcinoma(OSCC) is an important healthcare problem in the clinic.To evaluate the anticancer effects of CAtin on OSCC,7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene(DMBA) was used to induce oral carcinogenesis and premalignant lesions in the buccal pouch of Chinese hamster,and the antitumor effects of CAtin were determined in pre-cancer,cancer and post-operatative cancer models,respectively.The results show that the administration of CAtin delayed the malignant transformation of early stage cancerous lesions,inhibited the growth of established solid oral tumors and reduced the post-operatative relapse of lesions,with no significant systemic toxicity.This study demonstrates that CAtin may have potential for the treatment of OSCC,and the development of preventive strategies based on CAtin may offer a practical approach for the treatment of human oral tumors.展开更多
The genes encoding DNA-binding domain(BD) designed based on the yeast transcriptional activator GAL4 and protein transduction domain of HIV-1 Tat protein were fused via soft linker peptide sequence, and cloned into ...The genes encoding DNA-binding domain(BD) designed based on the yeast transcriptional activator GAL4 and protein transduction domain of HIV-1 Tat protein were fused via soft linker peptide sequence, and cloned into yeast expression vector pPIC9k. The resulted plasmid pTG was linearized and transfected into Pichia pastoris strains GS 115 by electroporation. High copies of transformants were obtained with Muts and HIS+ phenotype identi- fication, PCR amplification and screening of G418. After flask culture and expression induced by methanol, the target protein named TG was well expressed and analyzed by SDS-PAGE and Western blot. Under optimized conditions, the yield of soluble recombinant protein was approximately 39.7 mg/L. DNA binding activity and cell transduction property of TG were analyzed by gel eleetrophoresis and fluorescent microscopy. The results show that the recombinant protein could bind strongly to the plasmid containing upstream activating sequence(UAS). The cell experiments revealed that TG could deliver the binding plasmid into HEK-293 cells effectively. In summary, the work presented here suggests that TG is specific toward UAS containing plasmid and has the potential for use as nonviral DNA delivery agent.展开更多
We investigated the anti-tumor effects of dual cancer specific-oncolytic adenovirus Ad-VP on esophageal cancer(EC). The anti-tumor activity of Ad-VP was compared with that of the control recombinant adenoviruses (A...We investigated the anti-tumor effects of dual cancer specific-oncolytic adenovirus Ad-VP on esophageal cancer(EC). The anti-tumor activity of Ad-VP was compared with that of the control recombinant adenoviruses (Ad-GP, Ad-Apoptin, Ad-EGFP) in human esophageal cancer cell EC-109 and human normal liver cell L02 in vitro. In 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide(MTT) assays, the growth of EC-109 cells was slightly inhibited by Ad-GP, Ad-Apoptin and Ad-EGFE However, Ad-VP induced a significant cytotoxic effect. Infection of EC-109 cells with Ad-VP resulted in a significant induction of apoptosis of them in vitro, detected by 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole(DAPI) or acridine orange and ethidium bromide staining. The results of Western blot and flow cytometric assay indicate the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential(Aψm), the release of eytochrome c and the activation of caspase-3, 6 and 7 in Ad-VP infected EC-109 cells. In contrast, all these assays show almost no effects of the recombinant adenoviruses on L02 cells. These results demonstrate that the treatment of tumors with Ad-VP selectively inhibits tumor growth and induces apoptosis of esophageal cancer cells. Ad-VP may provide a novel and powerful strategy for cancer gene therapy.展开更多
Gene therapy is a potentially powerful tool used in cancer therapy. The strength of immune responses in- duced by some strategies is usually low, therefore, the development of agents capable of enhancing these respons...Gene therapy is a potentially powerful tool used in cancer therapy. The strength of immune responses in- duced by some strategies is usually low, therefore, the development of agents capable of enhancing these responses is highlighted. The authors investigated the potential of an approach based on the hemagglutinin-neuraminidase(HN) of Newcastle disease virus(NDV) as a potential immune adjuvant. It was found that recombinant adenovirus(Ad) in- fected SGC7901 cells expressing HN exhibited both hemagglutinin(HA) and neuraminidase(NA) activities. It was demonstrated that administration of HN induced higher levels of the effector cytokines TNF-a, IFN-a and IFN-y and increased natural killer(NK) cell activity. Based on the therapeutic tumor model, the results show that the administra- tion of HN with Apoptin led to improved survival and tumor suppression. In conclusion, this study indicates that HN stimulates innate immune responses to make the activity of NK cells increased, which highlights the potential adju- vant activity of HN in cancer gene therapy.展开更多
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.30771609)the National High-tech Research and Development Program of China(No.2007AA021004)
文摘Hepatitis E is an enterically transmitted viral disease caused by infection with hepatitis E virus(HEV). HEV is a nonenveloped virus that bas been classified in the family of Caliciviridae. The virus appears to be a polya-denylated, positive-stranded RNA virus with three major open reading frames(ORFs). The capsid protein of HEV is encoded by the open reading frame 2(ORF2). We attempted to produce a truncated capsid protein, designed p293, in Pichia pastoris. The p293 gene encoding amino acids(aa) 382-674 of HEV ORF2 was designed based on the full length of HEV ORF2, cloned into the yeast vector pPIC9K, and expressed in P. pastoris strain GS 115. SDS-PAGE and Western blotting demonstrated that the recombinant protein p293 could well be expressed in P pastoris. Under optimized conditions (culture medium pH, 6.0-6.5; methanol concentration added daily, 3.0%; inoculum density, OD600=60; induction time point, 72-96 h), the yield of soluble p293 was approximately 80 mg/L. We also observed p293 secretory expressed in P. pastoris to be 30 nm viral like particles by using electron microscopy. These results show that the p293 may has utility in the analysis of cell specific factors in the protein processing and assembly of HEV, and serve as a useful antigen for both diagnostic and vaccine purposes.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.30870347,81101140)the Youth Foundation of Laboratory Animal Center of Academy of Military Medical Sciences of China(No.QN2010-001)the National Science Foundation for Post-doctoral Scientits of China(No.20100481057)
文摘Aberrant expression of carcinoembryonic antigen(CEA) is a common feature for multiple types of cancer,which makes it an attractive target for anticancer therapy.CAtin is a novel dual cancer-specific fusion protein,composed of an anti-CEA single-chain disulfide-stabilized Fv antibody(scdsFv) and Apoptin,a tumor-specific apoptosis-inducing protein.Oral squamous cell carcinoma(OSCC) is an important healthcare problem in the clinic.To evaluate the anticancer effects of CAtin on OSCC,7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene(DMBA) was used to induce oral carcinogenesis and premalignant lesions in the buccal pouch of Chinese hamster,and the antitumor effects of CAtin were determined in pre-cancer,cancer and post-operatative cancer models,respectively.The results show that the administration of CAtin delayed the malignant transformation of early stage cancerous lesions,inhibited the growth of established solid oral tumors and reduced the post-operatative relapse of lesions,with no significant systemic toxicity.This study demonstrates that CAtin may have potential for the treatment of OSCC,and the development of preventive strategies based on CAtin may offer a practical approach for the treatment of human oral tumors.
基金Supported by National High-tech Research and Development Program of China(No.2007AA021004)
文摘The genes encoding DNA-binding domain(BD) designed based on the yeast transcriptional activator GAL4 and protein transduction domain of HIV-1 Tat protein were fused via soft linker peptide sequence, and cloned into yeast expression vector pPIC9k. The resulted plasmid pTG was linearized and transfected into Pichia pastoris strains GS 115 by electroporation. High copies of transformants were obtained with Muts and HIS+ phenotype identi- fication, PCR amplification and screening of G418. After flask culture and expression induced by methanol, the target protein named TG was well expressed and analyzed by SDS-PAGE and Western blot. Under optimized conditions, the yield of soluble recombinant protein was approximately 39.7 mg/L. DNA binding activity and cell transduction property of TG were analyzed by gel eleetrophoresis and fluorescent microscopy. The results show that the recombinant protein could bind strongly to the plasmid containing upstream activating sequence(UAS). The cell experiments revealed that TG could deliver the binding plasmid into HEK-293 cells effectively. In summary, the work presented here suggests that TG is specific toward UAS containing plasmid and has the potential for use as nonviral DNA delivery agent.
基金Supported by the Genetically Modified Organisms Breeding Major Project of China(No.2009ZX08006-002B)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.81101140,81072210)+1 种基金the Key Technologies Research and Development Program of Jilin Province,China(Nos.10ZDGG007,201015166)the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation Funded Project(No.20100481057)
文摘We investigated the anti-tumor effects of dual cancer specific-oncolytic adenovirus Ad-VP on esophageal cancer(EC). The anti-tumor activity of Ad-VP was compared with that of the control recombinant adenoviruses (Ad-GP, Ad-Apoptin, Ad-EGFP) in human esophageal cancer cell EC-109 and human normal liver cell L02 in vitro. In 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide(MTT) assays, the growth of EC-109 cells was slightly inhibited by Ad-GP, Ad-Apoptin and Ad-EGFE However, Ad-VP induced a significant cytotoxic effect. Infection of EC-109 cells with Ad-VP resulted in a significant induction of apoptosis of them in vitro, detected by 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole(DAPI) or acridine orange and ethidium bromide staining. The results of Western blot and flow cytometric assay indicate the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential(Aψm), the release of eytochrome c and the activation of caspase-3, 6 and 7 in Ad-VP infected EC-109 cells. In contrast, all these assays show almost no effects of the recombinant adenoviruses on L02 cells. These results demonstrate that the treatment of tumors with Ad-VP selectively inhibits tumor growth and induces apoptosis of esophageal cancer cells. Ad-VP may provide a novel and powerful strategy for cancer gene therapy.
基金Supported by the National Science and Technology Major Projects for Major New Drugs Innovation and Development of China(No.2010ZX09401-305-14), the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.81072210, 81101140) and the Key Technologies R&D Program of Jilin Province of China(Nos. 10ZDGG007, 201015166, 201101066).
文摘Gene therapy is a potentially powerful tool used in cancer therapy. The strength of immune responses in- duced by some strategies is usually low, therefore, the development of agents capable of enhancing these responses is highlighted. The authors investigated the potential of an approach based on the hemagglutinin-neuraminidase(HN) of Newcastle disease virus(NDV) as a potential immune adjuvant. It was found that recombinant adenovirus(Ad) in- fected SGC7901 cells expressing HN exhibited both hemagglutinin(HA) and neuraminidase(NA) activities. It was demonstrated that administration of HN induced higher levels of the effector cytokines TNF-a, IFN-a and IFN-y and increased natural killer(NK) cell activity. Based on the therapeutic tumor model, the results show that the administra- tion of HN with Apoptin led to improved survival and tumor suppression. In conclusion, this study indicates that HN stimulates innate immune responses to make the activity of NK cells increased, which highlights the potential adju- vant activity of HN in cancer gene therapy.