Background: o-galactosidase has been widely used in animal husbandry to reduce anti-nutritional factors (such as o-galactoside) in feed. Intestine-specific and substrate inducible expression of a-galactosidase woul...Background: o-galactosidase has been widely used in animal husbandry to reduce anti-nutritional factors (such as o-galactoside) in feed. Intestine-specific and substrate inducible expression of a-galactosidase would be highly beneficial for transgenic animal production. Methods: To achieve the intestine-specific and substrate inducible expression of o-galactosidase, we first identified intestine-specific promoters by comparing the transcriptional activity and tissue specificity of four intestine-specific promoters from human intestinal fatty acid binding protein, rat intestinal fatty acid binding protein, human mucin-2 and human lysozyme. We made two chimeric constructs combining the promoter and enhancer of human mucin-2, rat intestinal trefoil factor and human sucrase-isomaltase. Then a modified lac operon system was constructed to investigate the induction of o-galactosidase expression and enzyme activity by isopropyl p-D-]-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG) and an a-galactosidase substrate, a-lactose. We declared that the research carried out on human (Zhai Yafeng) was in compliance with the Helsinki Declaration and experimental research on animals also followed internationally recognized guidelines. Results: The activity of the human mucin-2 promoter was about 2 to 3 times higher than that of other intestine-specific promoters. In the/ac operon system, the repressor significantly decreased (P 〈 0.05) luciferase activity by approximately 6.5-fold and reduced the percentage of cells expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP) by approximately 2-fold. In addition, the expression level of o-galactosidase mRNA was decreased by 6-fold and a-galactosidase activity was reduced by 8-fold. in line with our expectations, IPTG and a-lactose supplementation reversed (P 〈 O.O5) the inhibition and produced a 5-fold increase of luciferase activity, an 11-fold enhancement in the percentage of cells with GFP expression and an increase in o-galactosidase mfiNA abundance (by about 5-fold) and o-galactosidase activity (by about 7-fold). Conclusions: We have successfully constructed a high specificity inducible lac operon system in an intestine-derived cell line, which could be of great value for gene therapy applications and transgenic animal production.展开更多
AIM: The GFAP was traditionally considered to be a biomarker for neural gila (mainly astrocytes and nonmyelinating Schwann cells). Genetically, a 2.2-kb human GFAP promoter has been successfully used to target astr...AIM: The GFAP was traditionally considered to be a biomarker for neural gila (mainly astrocytes and nonmyelinating Schwann cells). Genetically, a 2.2-kb human GFAP promoter has been successfully used to target astrocytes in vitro and in vivo. More recently, GFAP was also established as one of the several makers for identifying hepatic stellate cells (HSC). In this project, possible application of the same 2.2-kb human GFAP promoter for targeting HSC was investigated. METHODS: The GFAP-lacZ transgene was transfected into various cell lines (HSC, hepatocyte, and other nonHSC cell types). The transgene expression specificity was determined by X-gal staining of the β-galactosidase activity. And the responsiveness of the transgene was tested with a typical pro-fibrotic cytokine TGF-β1. The expression of endogenous GFAP gene was assessed by real-time RT-PCR, providing a reference for the transgene expression. RESULTS: The results demonstrated for the first time that the 2.2 kb hGFAP promoter was not only capable of directing HSC-specific expression, but also responding to a known pro-fibrogenic cytokine TGF-β1 by upregulation in a doseand time-dependent manner, similar to the endogenous GFAP. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, these findings suggested novel utilities for using the GFAP promoter to specifically manipulate HSC for therapeutic purpose.展开更多
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the feasibility and features of 3 catheter-mediated approaches of gene transfer into heart, including direct myocardial injection (DMI), coronary artery perfusion (CAP), and intrapericardial ...OBJECTIVE: To investigate the feasibility and features of 3 catheter-mediated approaches of gene transfer into heart, including direct myocardial injection (DMI), coronary artery perfusion (CAP), and intrapericardial cavity injection (ICI). METHODS: Fifteen dogs were used, and 0.3 ml (1 x 10(9) pfu) of an adenovirus (Adex1SR LacZ) was injected into the heart by 3 methods. The dogs were killed 5 days following injection, and gene expressions in heart and liver were evaluated by histochemical analysis. RESULTS: The results showed that (1) the CAP method was relatively less damaging and induced sparse LacZ expression in the myocardium, and the gene expression was also found in both vessels within the myocardium and liver; (2) gene transfer by DMI resulted in intense LacZ expression around the injection accompanied by a local inflammatory response; (3) LacZ expression elicited by ICI was detected in either the inner surface of the parietal pericardium or epicardial surface of the heart, and also in the myocardium underlying the visceral pericardium. CONCLUSION: Three catheter-mediated methods of gene transfer into the heart may be used and a reasonable approach should be chosen according to purpose.展开更多
基金supported by the National Key Project (2009CB941601, 2008ZX08006-004 and 2009ZX0890-024B)the Joint Funds of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (u0731004)
文摘Background: o-galactosidase has been widely used in animal husbandry to reduce anti-nutritional factors (such as o-galactoside) in feed. Intestine-specific and substrate inducible expression of a-galactosidase would be highly beneficial for transgenic animal production. Methods: To achieve the intestine-specific and substrate inducible expression of o-galactosidase, we first identified intestine-specific promoters by comparing the transcriptional activity and tissue specificity of four intestine-specific promoters from human intestinal fatty acid binding protein, rat intestinal fatty acid binding protein, human mucin-2 and human lysozyme. We made two chimeric constructs combining the promoter and enhancer of human mucin-2, rat intestinal trefoil factor and human sucrase-isomaltase. Then a modified lac operon system was constructed to investigate the induction of o-galactosidase expression and enzyme activity by isopropyl p-D-]-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG) and an a-galactosidase substrate, a-lactose. We declared that the research carried out on human (Zhai Yafeng) was in compliance with the Helsinki Declaration and experimental research on animals also followed internationally recognized guidelines. Results: The activity of the human mucin-2 promoter was about 2 to 3 times higher than that of other intestine-specific promoters. In the/ac operon system, the repressor significantly decreased (P 〈 0.05) luciferase activity by approximately 6.5-fold and reduced the percentage of cells expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP) by approximately 2-fold. In addition, the expression level of o-galactosidase mRNA was decreased by 6-fold and a-galactosidase activity was reduced by 8-fold. in line with our expectations, IPTG and a-lactose supplementation reversed (P 〈 O.O5) the inhibition and produced a 5-fold increase of luciferase activity, an 11-fold enhancement in the percentage of cells with GFP expression and an increase in o-galactosidase mfiNA abundance (by about 5-fold) and o-galactosidase activity (by about 7-fold). Conclusions: We have successfully constructed a high specificity inducible lac operon system in an intestine-derived cell line, which could be of great value for gene therapy applications and transgenic animal production.
基金Supported by the Biomedical Research Councilthe Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology,the Republic of Singapore
文摘AIM: The GFAP was traditionally considered to be a biomarker for neural gila (mainly astrocytes and nonmyelinating Schwann cells). Genetically, a 2.2-kb human GFAP promoter has been successfully used to target astrocytes in vitro and in vivo. More recently, GFAP was also established as one of the several makers for identifying hepatic stellate cells (HSC). In this project, possible application of the same 2.2-kb human GFAP promoter for targeting HSC was investigated. METHODS: The GFAP-lacZ transgene was transfected into various cell lines (HSC, hepatocyte, and other nonHSC cell types). The transgene expression specificity was determined by X-gal staining of the β-galactosidase activity. And the responsiveness of the transgene was tested with a typical pro-fibrotic cytokine TGF-β1. The expression of endogenous GFAP gene was assessed by real-time RT-PCR, providing a reference for the transgene expression. RESULTS: The results demonstrated for the first time that the 2.2 kb hGFAP promoter was not only capable of directing HSC-specific expression, but also responding to a known pro-fibrogenic cytokine TGF-β1 by upregulation in a doseand time-dependent manner, similar to the endogenous GFAP. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, these findings suggested novel utilities for using the GFAP promoter to specifically manipulate HSC for therapeutic purpose.
文摘OBJECTIVE: To investigate the feasibility and features of 3 catheter-mediated approaches of gene transfer into heart, including direct myocardial injection (DMI), coronary artery perfusion (CAP), and intrapericardial cavity injection (ICI). METHODS: Fifteen dogs were used, and 0.3 ml (1 x 10(9) pfu) of an adenovirus (Adex1SR LacZ) was injected into the heart by 3 methods. The dogs were killed 5 days following injection, and gene expressions in heart and liver were evaluated by histochemical analysis. RESULTS: The results showed that (1) the CAP method was relatively less damaging and induced sparse LacZ expression in the myocardium, and the gene expression was also found in both vessels within the myocardium and liver; (2) gene transfer by DMI resulted in intense LacZ expression around the injection accompanied by a local inflammatory response; (3) LacZ expression elicited by ICI was detected in either the inner surface of the parietal pericardium or epicardial surface of the heart, and also in the myocardium underlying the visceral pericardium. CONCLUSION: Three catheter-mediated methods of gene transfer into the heart may be used and a reasonable approach should be chosen according to purpose.