Background： Identification of functional genes affecting milk production traits is very crucial for improving breeding efficiency in dairy cattle. Many potential candidate genes have been identified through our previ...Background： Identification of functional genes affecting milk production traits is very crucial for improving breeding efficiency in dairy cattle. Many potential candidate genes have been identified through our previous genome wide association study （GWAS）. Of these, GPIHBP1 is an important novel candidate gene for milk production traits. However, the mRNA structure of the bovine GPIHBP1 gene is not fully determined up to now. Results： In this study, we identified a novel alternatively splice transcript variant （XS） which leads to a 3] bp insertion in exon 3 and also confirmed the other four existed transcripts （X1, X2, X3 and X4） of the bovine GPIHBP1 gene. We showed that transcript X5 with a 31 bp insertion and transcript X1 with an 8 bp deletion might have tremendous effect on the protein function and structure of GPIHBP1, respectively. With semi-quantitative PCR and quantitative real-time RT-PCR, we found that the mRNA expression of GPIHBPI, GPIHBP1-X1 and GPIHBP1-X5 in mammary gland of lactating cows were much higher than that in other tissues. Conclusions： Our study reports a novel alternative splicing of GPIHBP1 in bovine for the first time and provide useful information for the further functional analyses of GPIHBP1 in dairy cattle.展开更多
Glutamate is a regulated molecule in the mammalian testis. Extracellular regulation of glutamate in the body is determined largely by the expression of plasmalemmal glutamate transporters. We have examined by PCR, wes...Glutamate is a regulated molecule in the mammalian testis. Extracellular regulation of glutamate in the body is determined largely by the expression of plasmalemmal glutamate transporters. We have examined by PCR, western blotting and immunocytochemistry the expression of a panel of sodium-dependent plasmalemmal glutamate transporters in the rat testis. Proteins examined included： glutamate aspartate transporter （GLAST）, glutamate transporter 1 （GLT1）, excitatory amino acid carrier 1 （EAAC1）, excitatory amino acid transporter 4 （EAAT4） and EAAT5. We demonstrate that many of the glutamate transporters in the testis are alternately spliced. GLAST is present as exon-3- and exon-9-skipping forms. GLT1 was similarly present as the alternately spliced forms GLT1 b and GLTlc, whereas the abundant brain form （GLTla） was detectable only at the mRNA level. EAAT5 was also strongly expressed, whereas EAAC1 and EAAT4 were absent. These patterns of expression were compared with the patterns of endogenous glutamate localization and with patterns of D-aspartate accumulation, as assessed by immunocytochemistry. The presence of multiple glutamate transporters in the testis, including unusually spliced forms, suggests that glutamate homeostasis may be critical in this organ. The apparent presence of many of these transporters in the testis and sperm may indicate a need for glutamate transport by such cells.展开更多
In order to investigate the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in human lower segments of myometrium obtained from women in labor and those not in labor and identify the splicing variant of COX-2, reverse transcri...In order to investigate the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in human lower segments of myometrium obtained from women in labor and those not in labor and identify the splicing variant of COX-2, reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to detect the expression of COX-2. The primers were designed and synthesized according to the sequence of rat COX-2 splice variant which was discovered firstly by us. Then the splicing variant of COX-2 in human myometrium from woman in labor was identified, cloned into vector and sequenced. The results showed that the expression of COX-2 mRNA was lower in human myometrium obtained from women who were not in labor than that in labor women and a new band of COX-2 was obtained in myometrium from labor woman. The fragment included an unspliced intron, which pitched between exons 7 and 8. It was suggested that COX-2 gene was not only expressed highly in human myometrium from woman in labor, but also produced splicing variant by alternative splicing.展开更多
Survivin variants specific real time quantitative RT-PCR was developed to analyze their expression in 53 paired cancer and para-cancerous tissues, and the expression of the wild-type survivin protein was detected by i...Survivin variants specific real time quantitative RT-PCR was developed to analyze their expression in 53 paired cancer and para-cancerous tissues, and the expression of the wild-type survivin protein was detected by immunohistochemistry. The results showed that survivin mRNA and protein were expressed in gastric cancer and para-cancerous tissues, The survivin-2B was dominantly expressed in para-cancerous tissues, whereas the survivin-△Ex3 was more frequently detected in cancer tissues. The positive rate of survivin-2a was 100% in both cancer and para-cancerous tissues, but its relative transcript expression level was not significantly increased in cancer tissues in comparison with para-cancerous tissues. The correlation analysis revealed that the expression of survivin-2a mRNA was significantly associated with that of total survivin （rs=0.4178, P=0.0018）, whereas inversely to that of survivin-△EX3 （rs=-0.4506, P=0.0007）. It was suggested that survivin-2a may act as an antagonist of survivin-△EX3. The balance between antiapoptotic survivin iso-forms and nonantiapoptotic ones may play an important role in tumorigenesis and tumor progression, Promising value is hinted to analyze survivin and its variants in tumor early diagnosis and distinguishing malignant tumors from benign ones.展开更多
Prostate cancer(PCa)is one of the most lethal cancers in western countries.Androgen receptor(AR)signaling pathway plays a key role in PCa progression.Despite the initial effectiveness of androgen deprivation therapy(A...Prostate cancer(PCa)is one of the most lethal cancers in western countries.Androgen receptor(AR)signaling pathway plays a key role in PCa progression.Despite the initial effectiveness of androgen deprivation therapy(ADT)for treatment of patients with advanced PCa,most of them will develop resistance to ADT and progress to metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer(mCRPC).Constitutively transcriptional activated AR splice variants(AR-Vs)have emerged as critical players in the development and progression of mCRPC.Among AR-Vs identified to date,AR-V7(a.k.a.AR3)is one of the most abundant and frequently found in both PCa cell lines and in human prostate tissues.Most of functional studies have been focused on AR-V7/AR3 and revealed its role in regulation of survival,growth,differentiation and migration in prostate cells.In this review,we will summarize our current understanding of regulation of expression and activity of AR-Vs in mCRPC.展开更多
Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor(GDNF) plays a critical role in neuronal survival and function. GDNF has two major splice variants in the brain,α-pro-GDNF and β-pro-GDNF, and both isoforms have strong neu...Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor(GDNF) plays a critical role in neuronal survival and function. GDNF has two major splice variants in the brain,α-pro-GDNF and β-pro-GDNF, and both isoforms have strong neuroprotective effects on dopamine neurons. However, the expression of the GDNF splice variants in dopaminergic neurons in the brain remains unclear. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the mRNA and protein expression of α-and β-pro-GDNF in the mouse brain by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, using splice variant-specific primers, and western blot analysis. At the mRNA level,β-pro-GDNF expression was significantly greater than that of α-pro-GDNF in the mouse brain. In contrast, at the protein level,α-pro-GDNF expression was markedly greater than that of β-pro-GDNF. To clarify the mechanism underlying this inverse relationship in mRNA and protein expression levels of the GDNF splice variants, we analyzed the expression of sorting protein-related receptor with A-type repeats(SorLA) by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. At the mRNA level, SorLA was positively associated with β-pro-GDNF expression, but not with α-pro-GDNF expression. This suggests that the differential expression of α-and β-pro-GDNF in the mouse brain is related to SorLA expression. As a sorting protein, SorLA could contribute to the inverse relationship among the mRNA and protein levels of the GDNF isoforms. This study was approved by the Animal Ethics Committee of Xuzhou Medical University, China on July 14, 2016.展开更多
BCR-ABL fusion oncogene originates from the reciprocal translocation of chromosome 9 and 22 t(9;22) (q34;q11). It translates a chimeric protein, p210, characterized by constitutive activation of its tyrosine kinase, w...BCR-ABL fusion oncogene originates from the reciprocal translocation of chromosome 9 and 22 t(9;22) (q34;q11). It translates a chimeric protein, p210, characterized by constitutive activation of its tyrosine kinase, which triggers leukemogenic pathways resulting in onset of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). In CML, the classic fusion is b2a2 or b3a2 fusing exon 13 (b2) or exon 14 (b3) of BCR to exon 2 (a2) of ABL. The type of bcr/abl transcripts may be associated with different prognosis and hence useful in therapeutic plan. This study was conducted to calculate the frequency of these splice variants as the frequencies of different fusion oncogenes associated with leukaemia can vary in different geographical regions due to interplay of genetic variation in different ethnic populations, diverse environmental factors and living style. A very sensitive nested RT-PCR was established to detect BCR-ABL splice variants in CML. Sensitivity of RT-PCR assay was of the order of 10–6. Thirty CML patients were subjected to BCR-ABL analysis. Out of 30 Pakistani patients, 19 (64%) expressed b3a2 while 11 (36%) expressed b2a2 transcript. This shows that BCR-ABL splice variants differ in their frequencies which may have an effect on biology and implications for prognosis and management of BCR-ABL positive Leukemias.展开更多
As shown in our previous study, two alternatively spliced androgen receptor(AR) variants, which are exclusively expressed in the granulosa cells of patients with polycystic ovary syndrome, exhibit retarded nuclear tra...As shown in our previous study, two alternatively spliced androgen receptor(AR) variants, which are exclusively expressed in the granulosa cells of patients with polycystic ovary syndrome, exhibit retarded nuclear translocation compared with wild-type AR. However, researchers have not yet determined whether these abnormalities correlate with heat shock protein 90(HSP90)and importin α(the former is a generally accepted co-chaperone of AR, and the latter is a component of classical nuclear import complexes). Here, these two variants were mainly retained in cytoplasm with HSP90 and importin α in the presence of dihydrotestosterone(DHT), and their levels in nucleus were significantly reduced, according to the immunofluorescence staining. The binding affinity of two AR variants for importin α was consistently decreased, while it was increased in WT-AR following DHT stimulation, leading to reduced nuclear import, particularly for the insertion-AR(Ins-AR). However, the binding affinities of two AR variants for HSP90 were increased in the absence of DHT compared with WT-AR, which functioned to maintain spatial structural stability, particularly for the deletion-AR(Del-AR). Therefore, the retarded nuclear translocation of two AR variants is associated with HSP90 and importin α, and the abnormal binding affinities for them play critical roles in this process.展开更多
Objective Ovarian cancer(OC)is one of the most common and most lethal gynecological malignancies.OC has an age-dependent incidence and occurs more commonly in females older than 50 years old.Most OC patients are diagn...Objective Ovarian cancer(OC)is one of the most common and most lethal gynecological malignancies.OC has an age-dependent incidence and occurs more commonly in females older than 50 years old.Most OC patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage and have a poor prognosis.Germline mutations in the BRCA1 DNA repair associated gene(BRCA1)and the BRCA2 DNA repair associated gene(BRCA2)account for 20%–25%of epithelial ovarian cancer(EOC).BRCA1 germline mutations are more common in Chinese EOC patients.Methods This study reported a three-generation Han-Chinese family containing four EOC patients and a rectal adenocarcinoma patient.Whole-exome sequencing was performed on two EOC patients and an unaffected individual.Variant validation was also performed in all available members by Sanger sequencing.Results A heterozygous splice site variant,c.4358-2A>G in the BRCA1 gene,was identified.Bioinformatic analysis showed that the variant may change the splicing machinery.Conclusion The BRCA1 splice site variant,c.4358-2A>G was identified as the likely genetic cause for EOC,and may also be associated with the increased risk of rectal adenocarcinoma in the family.The findings were beneficial for genetic counseling,helpful for cancer prevention in other family members,and may facilitate therapy decision-making in the future to reduce cancer lethality.展开更多
An alternative splice variant of human thioredoxin (hTRX) has been identified by using reverse transcription_polymerase chain reaction, cloning and expressing of hTRX_encoding gene, and DNA sequencing. This variant co...An alternative splice variant of human thioredoxin (hTRX) has been identified by using reverse transcription_polymerase chain reaction, cloning and expressing of hTRX_encoding gene, and DNA sequencing. This variant contains hTRX exons 1, 2, 4 and 5. The entire protein encoding region of this variant, named hTRXδ3, is identical to hTRX except for the omission of exon 3. Human TRX and TRXδ3 cDNA has been expressed in \%E.coli\%. The catalytic activity of rhTRXδ3 on DTT_dependent insulin reduction is lower than that of rhTRX, although hTRXδ3 still contains the active site.展开更多
ObjectivesThe PTPRQ gene is essential for preserving the structure and function of stereocilia in inner ear.However,research on splicing mutations within this gene is limited.This study aims to investigate novel splic...ObjectivesThe PTPRQ gene is essential for preserving the structure and function of stereocilia in inner ear.However,research on splicing mutations within this gene is limited.This study aims to investigate novel splicing mutations in PTPRQ,clarify their molecular mechanisms,and provide new insights into the genetic factors associated with hearing loss,ultimately enhancing diagnostic accuracy.MethodClinical data and peripheral blood samples were obtained from members of a family with congenital hearing loss.Variants were identified through high-throughput sequencing and confirmed by Sanger sequencing to ensure genealogical co-segregation.The splicing effects of PTPRQ variants were evaluated using bioinformatics tools and minigene assays.ResultsWe used whole exome sequencing to identify novel double compound heterozygous splice-altering variants(c.5426+1 G>A and c.6603-3 T>G)in the PTPRQ gene with DFNB84A.We molecularly characterized these variants,and they were found to co-segregate with the disease within the family.Minigene assays and Sanger sequencing confirmed that the c.6603-3 T>G variant caused exon 43 skipping,resulting in a frameshift mutation(p.Ser2201ArgfsTer112).Further bioinformatic analysis supported these findings.ConclusionsThis study identifies a novel compound heterozygous splicing variant in the PTPRQ gene in a Chinese family with DFNB84A,expanding the known spectrum of PTPRQ mutations.These findings enhance the understanding of PTPRQ-related hearing loss and may aid in early diagnosis,prevention,and therapeutic strategies.展开更多
Alternative splicing is a cellular mechanism in eukaryotes that results in considerable diversity ofgene products. It plays an important role in several diseases and cellular signal regulation. Heat stress is a major ...Alternative splicing is a cellular mechanism in eukaryotes that results in considerable diversity ofgene products. It plays an important role in several diseases and cellular signal regulation. Heat stress is a major factor that induces immunosuppression in pigs. Little is known about the correlation between alternative splicing and heat stress in pigs. Therefore, this study aimed to clone, sequence and quantify the alternative splicing variant of toll-like receptor 4 （TLR4） in Bama miniature pigs （Sus scrofa domestica） following exposure to heat stress. The results showed that the second exon of TLR4 was spliced and 167 bp shorter in the alternative splicing variant, and the protein was putatively identified as a type of truncated membrane protein consisting of extramembrane, transmembrane and intramembrane regions lacking a signal peptide. Further, it was not a non- classical secretory protein. Five potential reference genes were screened for their potential as reliable standards to quantify the expression of TLR4 alternative spliced variants by real-time quantitative reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction （qRT-PCR）. The stability of these reference genes was ranked using the geNorm and NormFinder programs, and ribosomal protein L4 （RPL4） and TATA box-binding protein （TBP） were found to be the two genes showing the most stable expression in the in vitro cultured peripheral blood mononuclear ceils （PBMCs） during heat shock. The mRNA level of the TLR4 gene （both classical and spliced） in stressed pigs increased significantly （P〈0.05）. Further, the expression levels of the alternative spliced variant of TLR4 （TLR4-ASV） showed a 2-3 folds increase in heat-stressed PBMCs as compared to control pigs. The results of the present study suggested that heat shock might modulate the host immune response by regulating the expressions of TLR4 and its alternative splicing variant.展开更多
Chronic hepatitis B is a global health problem. The clinical outcomes of chronic hepatitis B infection include asymptomatic carrier state, chronic hepatitis(CH), liver cirrhosis(LC), and hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)....Chronic hepatitis B is a global health problem. The clinical outcomes of chronic hepatitis B infection include asymptomatic carrier state, chronic hepatitis(CH), liver cirrhosis(LC), and hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC). Because of the spontaneous error rate inherent to viral reverse transcriptase, the hepatitis B virus(HBV) genome evolves during the course of infection under the antiviral pressure of host immunity. The clinical significance of pre-S/S variants has become increasingly recognized in patients with chronic HBV infection. Pre-S/S variants are often identified in hepatitis B carriers with CH, LC, and HCC, which suggests that these naturally occurring pre-S/S variants may contribute to the development of progressive liver damage and hepatocarcinogenesis. This paper reviews the function of the pre-S/S region along with recent findings related to the role of pre-S/S variants in liver diseases. According to the mutation type, five pre-S/S variants have been identified: pre-S deletion, pre-S point mutation, pre-S1 splice variant, C-terminus S point mutation, and pre-S/S nonsense mutation. Their associations with HBV genotype and the possible pathogenesis of pre-S/S variants are discussed. Different pre-S/S variants cause liver diseases through different mechanisms. Most cause the intracellular retention of HBV envelope proteins and induction of endoplasmic reticulum stress, which results in liver diseases. Pre-S/S variants should be routinely determined in HBV carriers to help identify individuals who may be at a high risk of less favorable liver disease progression. Additional investigations are required to explore the molecular mechanisms of the pre-S/S variants involved in the pathogenesis of each stage of liver disease.展开更多
Amino acids are the primary form of nitrogen utilization in higher plants,mainly transported by amino acid transporters.In this study,we analyzed the natural variation of amino acid transporter-like 4(OsATL4)in rice g...Amino acids are the primary form of nitrogen utilization in higher plants,mainly transported by amino acid transporters.In this study,we analyzed the natural variation of amino acid transporter-like 4(OsATL4)in rice germplasm resources,identified its spatiotemporal expression characteristics,determined its substrate transport,and validated its function using transgenic plants.We found that the promoter sequence of OsATL4 varied across 498 rice varieties.The expression level of OsATL4 was higher in japonica rice,which was negatively correlated with tiller number and grain yield.OsATL4 was highly expressed in the basal part,leaf sheath,stem,and young panicle,with its two splicing variants localized to the cell membrane.OsATL4a(the long splicing variant)had a high affinity for transporting Ser,Leu,Phe,and Thr,while OsATL4b(the short splicing variant)had a high affinity for transporting Ser,Leu,and Phe.Blocking OsATL4 promoted axillary bud outgrowth,rice tillering,and grain yield,whereas overexpression lines exhibited the opposite phenotype.Exogenous application of low concentrations of Ser promoted axillary bud outgrowth in overexpression lines,while high concentrations of Ser inhibited it.Conversely,the mutant lines showed the opposite response.Altered expression of OsATL4 might affect the expression of genes in nitrogen,auxin,and cytokinin pathways.We propose that two splicing variants of OsATL4 negatively regulate rice tillering and yield by mediating the transport of amino acids,making it a significant target for high-yield rice breeding.展开更多
Objective To characterize a possible retention function of unique sequence in the 5＇end of rat testis GABAA receptor β3t splicing variant Methods Rat testis GABAA receptor β3t splicing variant cDNA was cloned and t...Objective To characterize a possible retention function of unique sequence in the 5＇end of rat testis GABAA receptor β3t splicing variant Methods Rat testis GABAA receptor β3t splicing variant cDNA was cloned and two eukaryotic expression recombinant plasmids of pEGFP-N1 and pEGFP-C1 were constructed respectively by fusing green fluorescent protein to the N or C-terminus of β3t isoform. The recombinant plasmids were transfected into CHO cells by calcium phosphate co-precipitation method Fluorescence microscope and laser confocal microscope were used to analyze localization of β3t in the transfected cells. ConA-Texas-Red was used to label cell ER and the localization of rat testis β3t splicing variant in CHO cells was determined. Results When rat testis β3t splicing variant was expressed in CHO cells, two expression patterns were delineated, the distributions of uniform and mainly discrete intracellular compartments respectively, The chimera product failed to be translocated into the cell surface when expressed in ClIO cells; whereas the β3 subunit of rat brain was incorporated into the plasma membrane. Conclusion The inability of β3t to target into the ER may be a consequence of the unique 25 specific amino acid segments in the N terminus.展开更多
Background:In 2021,the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics(ACMG)recommended reporting actionable genotypes in 73 genes associated with diseases for which preventive or therapeutic measures are available....Background:In 2021,the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics(ACMG)recommended reporting actionable genotypes in 73 genes associated with diseases for which preventive or therapeutic measures are available.Evaluations of the association of actionable genotypes in these genes with life span are currently lacking.Methods:We assessed the prevalence of coding and splice variants in genes on the ACMG Secondary Findings,version 3.0(ACMG SF v3.0),list in the genomes of 57,933 Icelanders.We assigned pathogenicity to all reviewed variants using reported evidence in the ClinVar database,the frequency of variants,and their associations with disease to create a manually curated set of actionable genotypes(variants).We assessed the relationship between these genotypes and life span and further examined the specific causes of death among carriers.展开更多
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundations of China[31201772]Chinese Universities Scientific Fund [2014JD021]+2 种基金the 948 Program of the Ministry of Agriculture of China [2011-G2A(3)]the National High Technology Research and Development Program of China[863 Program 2011AA100302]the Program for Changjiang Scholars and Innovative Research Team in University(IRT1191)
文摘Background： Identification of functional genes affecting milk production traits is very crucial for improving breeding efficiency in dairy cattle. Many potential candidate genes have been identified through our previous genome wide association study （GWAS）. Of these, GPIHBP1 is an important novel candidate gene for milk production traits. However, the mRNA structure of the bovine GPIHBP1 gene is not fully determined up to now. Results： In this study, we identified a novel alternatively splice transcript variant （XS） which leads to a 3] bp insertion in exon 3 and also confirmed the other four existed transcripts （X1, X2, X3 and X4） of the bovine GPIHBP1 gene. We showed that transcript X5 with a 31 bp insertion and transcript X1 with an 8 bp deletion might have tremendous effect on the protein function and structure of GPIHBP1, respectively. With semi-quantitative PCR and quantitative real-time RT-PCR, we found that the mRNA expression of GPIHBPI, GPIHBP1-X1 and GPIHBP1-X5 in mammary gland of lactating cows were much higher than that in other tissues. Conclusions： Our study reports a novel alternative splicing of GPIHBP1 in bovine for the first time and provide useful information for the further functional analyses of GPIHBP1 in dairy cattle.
文摘Glutamate is a regulated molecule in the mammalian testis. Extracellular regulation of glutamate in the body is determined largely by the expression of plasmalemmal glutamate transporters. We have examined by PCR, western blotting and immunocytochemistry the expression of a panel of sodium-dependent plasmalemmal glutamate transporters in the rat testis. Proteins examined included： glutamate aspartate transporter （GLAST）, glutamate transporter 1 （GLT1）, excitatory amino acid carrier 1 （EAAC1）, excitatory amino acid transporter 4 （EAAT4） and EAAT5. We demonstrate that many of the glutamate transporters in the testis are alternately spliced. GLAST is present as exon-3- and exon-9-skipping forms. GLT1 was similarly present as the alternately spliced forms GLT1 b and GLTlc, whereas the abundant brain form （GLTla） was detectable only at the mRNA level. EAAT5 was also strongly expressed, whereas EAAC1 and EAAT4 were absent. These patterns of expression were compared with the patterns of endogenous glutamate localization and with patterns of D-aspartate accumulation, as assessed by immunocytochemistry. The presence of multiple glutamate transporters in the testis, including unusually spliced forms, suggests that glutamate homeostasis may be critical in this organ. The apparent presence of many of these transporters in the testis and sperm may indicate a need for glutamate transport by such cells.
基金This project was supported by grants from National Natu ral Sciences Foundation of China ( No. 30070929,30271363).
文摘In order to investigate the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in human lower segments of myometrium obtained from women in labor and those not in labor and identify the splicing variant of COX-2, reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to detect the expression of COX-2. The primers were designed and synthesized according to the sequence of rat COX-2 splice variant which was discovered firstly by us. Then the splicing variant of COX-2 in human myometrium from woman in labor was identified, cloned into vector and sequenced. The results showed that the expression of COX-2 mRNA was lower in human myometrium obtained from women who were not in labor than that in labor women and a new band of COX-2 was obtained in myometrium from labor woman. The fragment included an unspliced intron, which pitched between exons 7 and 8. It was suggested that COX-2 gene was not only expressed highly in human myometrium from woman in labor, but also produced splicing variant by alternative splicing.
文摘Survivin variants specific real time quantitative RT-PCR was developed to analyze their expression in 53 paired cancer and para-cancerous tissues, and the expression of the wild-type survivin protein was detected by immunohistochemistry. The results showed that survivin mRNA and protein were expressed in gastric cancer and para-cancerous tissues, The survivin-2B was dominantly expressed in para-cancerous tissues, whereas the survivin-△Ex3 was more frequently detected in cancer tissues. The positive rate of survivin-2a was 100% in both cancer and para-cancerous tissues, but its relative transcript expression level was not significantly increased in cancer tissues in comparison with para-cancerous tissues. The correlation analysis revealed that the expression of survivin-2a mRNA was significantly associated with that of total survivin （rs=0.4178, P=0.0018）, whereas inversely to that of survivin-△EX3 （rs=-0.4506, P=0.0007）. It was suggested that survivin-2a may act as an antagonist of survivin-△EX3. The balance between antiapoptotic survivin iso-forms and nonantiapoptotic ones may play an important role in tumorigenesis and tumor progression, Promising value is hinted to analyze survivin and its variants in tumor early diagnosis and distinguishing malignant tumors from benign ones.
基金This work was supported by NIH(CA106504,CA169524)and DOD(W81XWH-15-1-0612)grants to YQThe authors apologize for not being able to cite many important studies related to this subject due to limited space.
文摘Prostate cancer(PCa)is one of the most lethal cancers in western countries.Androgen receptor(AR)signaling pathway plays a key role in PCa progression.Despite the initial effectiveness of androgen deprivation therapy(ADT)for treatment of patients with advanced PCa,most of them will develop resistance to ADT and progress to metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer(mCRPC).Constitutively transcriptional activated AR splice variants(AR-Vs)have emerged as critical players in the development and progression of mCRPC.Among AR-Vs identified to date,AR-V7(a.k.a.AR3)is one of the most abundant and frequently found in both PCa cell lines and in human prostate tissues.Most of functional studies have been focused on AR-V7/AR3 and revealed its role in regulation of survival,growth,differentiation and migration in prostate cells.In this review,we will summarize our current understanding of regulation of expression and activity of AR-Vs in mCRPC.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.81772688(to DSG)the Postdoctoral Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province of China,No.1202119C(to HL)
文摘Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor(GDNF) plays a critical role in neuronal survival and function. GDNF has two major splice variants in the brain,α-pro-GDNF and β-pro-GDNF, and both isoforms have strong neuroprotective effects on dopamine neurons. However, the expression of the GDNF splice variants in dopaminergic neurons in the brain remains unclear. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the mRNA and protein expression of α-and β-pro-GDNF in the mouse brain by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, using splice variant-specific primers, and western blot analysis. At the mRNA level,β-pro-GDNF expression was significantly greater than that of α-pro-GDNF in the mouse brain. In contrast, at the protein level,α-pro-GDNF expression was markedly greater than that of β-pro-GDNF. To clarify the mechanism underlying this inverse relationship in mRNA and protein expression levels of the GDNF splice variants, we analyzed the expression of sorting protein-related receptor with A-type repeats(SorLA) by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. At the mRNA level, SorLA was positively associated with β-pro-GDNF expression, but not with α-pro-GDNF expression. This suggests that the differential expression of α-and β-pro-GDNF in the mouse brain is related to SorLA expression. As a sorting protein, SorLA could contribute to the inverse relationship among the mRNA and protein levels of the GDNF isoforms. This study was approved by the Animal Ethics Committee of Xuzhou Medical University, China on July 14, 2016.
文摘BCR-ABL fusion oncogene originates from the reciprocal translocation of chromosome 9 and 22 t(9;22) (q34;q11). It translates a chimeric protein, p210, characterized by constitutive activation of its tyrosine kinase, which triggers leukemogenic pathways resulting in onset of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). In CML, the classic fusion is b2a2 or b3a2 fusing exon 13 (b2) or exon 14 (b3) of BCR to exon 2 (a2) of ABL. The type of bcr/abl transcripts may be associated with different prognosis and hence useful in therapeutic plan. This study was conducted to calculate the frequency of these splice variants as the frequencies of different fusion oncogenes associated with leukaemia can vary in different geographical regions due to interplay of genetic variation in different ethnic populations, diverse environmental factors and living style. A very sensitive nested RT-PCR was established to detect BCR-ABL splice variants in CML. Sensitivity of RT-PCR assay was of the order of 10–6. Thirty CML patients were subjected to BCR-ABL analysis. Out of 30 Pakistani patients, 19 (64%) expressed b3a2 while 11 (36%) expressed b2a2 transcript. This shows that BCR-ABL splice variants differ in their frequencies which may have an effect on biology and implications for prognosis and management of BCR-ABL positive Leukemias.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2017YFC1001303)International Cooperation Project of China and Canada NSFC (81661128010)+2 种基金National Natural Science Foundation of China (31471405, 81671456, 81671412)the National Key Basic Research Program (2013CB967404) the Doctoral Innovation Fund of School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University (BXJ201640)
文摘As shown in our previous study, two alternatively spliced androgen receptor(AR) variants, which are exclusively expressed in the granulosa cells of patients with polycystic ovary syndrome, exhibit retarded nuclear translocation compared with wild-type AR. However, researchers have not yet determined whether these abnormalities correlate with heat shock protein 90(HSP90)and importin α(the former is a generally accepted co-chaperone of AR, and the latter is a component of classical nuclear import complexes). Here, these two variants were mainly retained in cytoplasm with HSP90 and importin α in the presence of dihydrotestosterone(DHT), and their levels in nucleus were significantly reduced, according to the immunofluorescence staining. The binding affinity of two AR variants for importin α was consistently decreased, while it was increased in WT-AR following DHT stimulation, leading to reduced nuclear import, particularly for the insertion-AR(Ins-AR). However, the binding affinities of two AR variants for HSP90 were increased in the absence of DHT compared with WT-AR, which functioned to maintain spatial structural stability, particularly for the deletion-AR(Del-AR). Therefore, the retarded nuclear translocation of two AR variants is associated with HSP90 and importin α, and the abnormal binding affinities for them play critical roles in this process.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.81800219 and No.81873686)Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province(No.2019JJ50927,No.2020JJ3057 and No.2020JJ4830)the Lotus Scholars Program of Hunan Province,and the Wisdom Accumulation and Talent Cultivation Project of the Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University(No.YX202109).
文摘Objective Ovarian cancer(OC)is one of the most common and most lethal gynecological malignancies.OC has an age-dependent incidence and occurs more commonly in females older than 50 years old.Most OC patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage and have a poor prognosis.Germline mutations in the BRCA1 DNA repair associated gene(BRCA1)and the BRCA2 DNA repair associated gene(BRCA2)account for 20%–25%of epithelial ovarian cancer(EOC).BRCA1 germline mutations are more common in Chinese EOC patients.Methods This study reported a three-generation Han-Chinese family containing four EOC patients and a rectal adenocarcinoma patient.Whole-exome sequencing was performed on two EOC patients and an unaffected individual.Variant validation was also performed in all available members by Sanger sequencing.Results A heterozygous splice site variant,c.4358-2A>G in the BRCA1 gene,was identified.Bioinformatic analysis showed that the variant may change the splicing machinery.Conclusion The BRCA1 splice site variant,c.4358-2A>G was identified as the likely genetic cause for EOC,and may also be associated with the increased risk of rectal adenocarcinoma in the family.The findings were beneficial for genetic counseling,helpful for cancer prevention in other family members,and may facilitate therapy decision-making in the future to reduce cancer lethality.
文摘An alternative splice variant of human thioredoxin (hTRX) has been identified by using reverse transcription_polymerase chain reaction, cloning and expressing of hTRX_encoding gene, and DNA sequencing. This variant contains hTRX exons 1, 2, 4 and 5. The entire protein encoding region of this variant, named hTRXδ3, is identical to hTRX except for the omission of exon 3. Human TRX and TRXδ3 cDNA has been expressed in \%E.coli\%. The catalytic activity of rhTRXδ3 on DTT_dependent insulin reduction is lower than that of rhTRX, although hTRXδ3 still contains the active site.
基金supported in part by the Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province(no.ZR2022QH373,ZR2022QH292 and ZR2023MH2474).
文摘ObjectivesThe PTPRQ gene is essential for preserving the structure and function of stereocilia in inner ear.However,research on splicing mutations within this gene is limited.This study aims to investigate novel splicing mutations in PTPRQ,clarify their molecular mechanisms,and provide new insights into the genetic factors associated with hearing loss,ultimately enhancing diagnostic accuracy.MethodClinical data and peripheral blood samples were obtained from members of a family with congenital hearing loss.Variants were identified through high-throughput sequencing and confirmed by Sanger sequencing to ensure genealogical co-segregation.The splicing effects of PTPRQ variants were evaluated using bioinformatics tools and minigene assays.ResultsWe used whole exome sequencing to identify novel double compound heterozygous splice-altering variants(c.5426+1 G>A and c.6603-3 T>G)in the PTPRQ gene with DFNB84A.We molecularly characterized these variants,and they were found to co-segregate with the disease within the family.Minigene assays and Sanger sequencing confirmed that the c.6603-3 T>G variant caused exon 43 skipping,resulting in a frameshift mutation(p.Ser2201ArgfsTer112).Further bioinformatic analysis supported these findings.ConclusionsThis study identifies a novel compound heterozygous splicing variant in the PTPRQ gene in a Chinese family with DFNB84A,expanding the known spectrum of PTPRQ mutations.These findings enhance the understanding of PTPRQ-related hearing loss and may aid in early diagnosis,prevention,and therapeutic strategies.
基金supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31101862)the China Postdoctor Science Foundation and Guangdong Ocean University Doctor Seed Grant, China (0712107)
文摘Alternative splicing is a cellular mechanism in eukaryotes that results in considerable diversity ofgene products. It plays an important role in several diseases and cellular signal regulation. Heat stress is a major factor that induces immunosuppression in pigs. Little is known about the correlation between alternative splicing and heat stress in pigs. Therefore, this study aimed to clone, sequence and quantify the alternative splicing variant of toll-like receptor 4 （TLR4） in Bama miniature pigs （Sus scrofa domestica） following exposure to heat stress. The results showed that the second exon of TLR4 was spliced and 167 bp shorter in the alternative splicing variant, and the protein was putatively identified as a type of truncated membrane protein consisting of extramembrane, transmembrane and intramembrane regions lacking a signal peptide. Further, it was not a non- classical secretory protein. Five potential reference genes were screened for their potential as reliable standards to quantify the expression of TLR4 alternative spliced variants by real-time quantitative reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction （qRT-PCR）. The stability of these reference genes was ranked using the geNorm and NormFinder programs, and ribosomal protein L4 （RPL4） and TATA box-binding protein （TBP） were found to be the two genes showing the most stable expression in the in vitro cultured peripheral blood mononuclear ceils （PBMCs） during heat shock. The mRNA level of the TLR4 gene （both classical and spliced） in stressed pigs increased significantly （P〈0.05）. Further, the expression levels of the alternative spliced variant of TLR4 （TLR4-ASV） showed a 2-3 folds increase in heat-stressed PBMCs as compared to control pigs. The results of the present study suggested that heat shock might modulate the host immune response by regulating the expressions of TLR4 and its alternative splicing variant.
基金Supported by the grant from the National Science Council(NSC 96-2320-B-030-004-MY3),Executive Yuan,Taiwan
文摘Chronic hepatitis B is a global health problem. The clinical outcomes of chronic hepatitis B infection include asymptomatic carrier state, chronic hepatitis(CH), liver cirrhosis(LC), and hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC). Because of the spontaneous error rate inherent to viral reverse transcriptase, the hepatitis B virus(HBV) genome evolves during the course of infection under the antiviral pressure of host immunity. The clinical significance of pre-S/S variants has become increasingly recognized in patients with chronic HBV infection. Pre-S/S variants are often identified in hepatitis B carriers with CH, LC, and HCC, which suggests that these naturally occurring pre-S/S variants may contribute to the development of progressive liver damage and hepatocarcinogenesis. This paper reviews the function of the pre-S/S region along with recent findings related to the role of pre-S/S variants in liver diseases. According to the mutation type, five pre-S/S variants have been identified: pre-S deletion, pre-S point mutation, pre-S1 splice variant, C-terminus S point mutation, and pre-S/S nonsense mutation. Their associations with HBV genotype and the possible pathogenesis of pre-S/S variants are discussed. Different pre-S/S variants cause liver diseases through different mechanisms. Most cause the intracellular retention of HBV envelope proteins and induction of endoplasmic reticulum stress, which results in liver diseases. Pre-S/S variants should be routinely determined in HBV carriers to help identify individuals who may be at a high risk of less favorable liver disease progression. Additional investigations are required to explore the molecular mechanisms of the pre-S/S variants involved in the pathogenesis of each stage of liver disease.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32060064/32260498)the Guizhou Provincial Excellent Young Talents Project of Science and Technology (Qiankehepingtairencai-YQK (2023)002)+6 种基金the Guizhou Provincial Science and Technology Projects (Qiankehejichu-ZK (2021)General 128Qiankehejichu-ZK (2022)Key 008Qiankehechengguo (2024)General 116Qiankehepingtairencai-BQW (2024)001,qiankehepingtai-YWZ (2024)004)the Key Laboratory of Molecular Breeding for Grain and Oil Crops in Guizhou Province (Qiankehezhongyindi (2023)008)the Key Laboratory of Functional Agriculture of Guizhou Provincial Department of Education (Qianjiaoji (2023)007)the Qiandongnan Science and Technology Support Project (Qiandongnan Kehe Support (2023)06).
文摘Amino acids are the primary form of nitrogen utilization in higher plants,mainly transported by amino acid transporters.In this study,we analyzed the natural variation of amino acid transporter-like 4(OsATL4)in rice germplasm resources,identified its spatiotemporal expression characteristics,determined its substrate transport,and validated its function using transgenic plants.We found that the promoter sequence of OsATL4 varied across 498 rice varieties.The expression level of OsATL4 was higher in japonica rice,which was negatively correlated with tiller number and grain yield.OsATL4 was highly expressed in the basal part,leaf sheath,stem,and young panicle,with its two splicing variants localized to the cell membrane.OsATL4a(the long splicing variant)had a high affinity for transporting Ser,Leu,Phe,and Thr,while OsATL4b(the short splicing variant)had a high affinity for transporting Ser,Leu,and Phe.Blocking OsATL4 promoted axillary bud outgrowth,rice tillering,and grain yield,whereas overexpression lines exhibited the opposite phenotype.Exogenous application of low concentrations of Ser promoted axillary bud outgrowth in overexpression lines,while high concentrations of Ser inhibited it.Conversely,the mutant lines showed the opposite response.Altered expression of OsATL4 might affect the expression of genes in nitrogen,auxin,and cytokinin pathways.We propose that two splicing variants of OsATL4 negatively regulate rice tillering and yield by mediating the transport of amino acids,making it a significant target for high-yield rice breeding.
基金The study was supported by National Basic Science Key Infrastructure Development Program (973 program), National Ministry of Science and Technology (Grant No: G19990559) and in part by E-institutes fund of Shanghai Municipal Education Commission. (Grant No:E03003)
文摘Objective To characterize a possible retention function of unique sequence in the 5＇end of rat testis GABAA receptor β3t splicing variant Methods Rat testis GABAA receptor β3t splicing variant cDNA was cloned and two eukaryotic expression recombinant plasmids of pEGFP-N1 and pEGFP-C1 were constructed respectively by fusing green fluorescent protein to the N or C-terminus of β3t isoform. The recombinant plasmids were transfected into CHO cells by calcium phosphate co-precipitation method Fluorescence microscope and laser confocal microscope were used to analyze localization of β3t in the transfected cells. ConA-Texas-Red was used to label cell ER and the localization of rat testis β3t splicing variant in CHO cells was determined. Results When rat testis β3t splicing variant was expressed in CHO cells, two expression patterns were delineated, the distributions of uniform and mainly discrete intracellular compartments respectively, The chimera product failed to be translocated into the cell surface when expressed in ClIO cells; whereas the β3 subunit of rat brain was incorporated into the plasma membrane. Conclusion The inability of β3t to target into the ER may be a consequence of the unique 25 specific amino acid segments in the N terminus.
文摘Background:In 2021,the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics(ACMG)recommended reporting actionable genotypes in 73 genes associated with diseases for which preventive or therapeutic measures are available.Evaluations of the association of actionable genotypes in these genes with life span are currently lacking.Methods:We assessed the prevalence of coding and splice variants in genes on the ACMG Secondary Findings,version 3.0(ACMG SF v3.0),list in the genomes of 57,933 Icelanders.We assigned pathogenicity to all reviewed variants using reported evidence in the ClinVar database,the frequency of variants,and their associations with disease to create a manually curated set of actionable genotypes(variants).We assessed the relationship between these genotypes and life span and further examined the specific causes of death among carriers.
