锁核酸分子信标在分子识别与生物分析中的应用

分子信标是一种荧光探针,闭合时呈发夹结构。其5'末端修饰荧光基团,3'末端修饰猝灭基团。当目标存在时,环部与目标结合,发夹打开,发出荧光。锁核酸是一类双环状寡核苷酸衍生物,能够遵循碱基互补配对原则与核酸结合。锁核酸分子信标技术,结合了分子信标无需分离未结合探针而直接检测的优势和锁核酸亲合力强、热稳定性好、抗酶切以及体内无毒等特点,在核酸检测方面具有灵敏度高、特异性好的独特优势,近年来得到广泛关注。本文介绍了锁核酸修饰分子信标的结构、功能、设计要点,及其研究现状和一些重要进展,并讨论了目前锁核酸分子信标在分子识别及生物分析中的应用及存在的问题和发展前景。     

分子信标用于核酸连续复制过程的体外实时监测

利用分子信标核酸探针实时监测了核酸连续复制过程. 分子信标不仅作为模板参与复制反应, 而且同步将复制过程的信息转换为荧光信号, 实现复制过程的体外实时监测. 该方法不仅为DNA复制检测提供了一种实时研究手段, 而且为核酸复制动力学及与复制相关疾病的深入研究提供了一种新的思路.     

发卡型万能传导在基于核酸分子线路的基因诊断中的应用和性能优化

核酸等温扩增技术作为核酸体外扩增技术,其反应过程始终维持在恒定温度下。与聚合酶链反应相比,核酸等温扩增反应具有优异的便携型,因而被视为最有望实现基因快检甚至即时快检的体外基因扩增方法。然而,由于反应过程中假阳性扩增频发、反应后对产物的检测方法缺乏特异性和灵敏度等缺点,限制了其在实际分析检测中的应用。通过构建发卡型结构万能中转探针,成功地将恒温扩增产物转到一套性能良好的已知核酸分子线路上;借助核酸分子线路的百倍放大性能和序列特异性,实现对上游基因序列信息的精准识别和放大信号输出。针对不同的待测序列,仅需改变发卡型中转探针的序列,即可实现对不同序列目标物的检测。基于中转探针的重要性,本研究对中转探针的设计原理和方法进行了重点阐述,提出并验证了一套行之有效的普适性设计规律,确保中转探针良好的中转效率(信噪比)。利用这一规律获得的中转探针,与核酸分子线路偶联,可成功为低至近单分子(20个拷贝)的模型基因提供显著荧光和电化学信号输出。     

基于双酶切级联信号放大的核酸检测方法

利用茎环结构定位探针构建了一个基于双酶切反应的级联信号放大体系,并将其用于核酸的检测.在该体系中,茎环结构定位探针首先是内切酶Tth EndonucleaseⅣ的作用底物,被剪切后又作为定位探针介导切口酶Nt.Bst NBI对分子信标实施剪切,将这2步剪切反应结合起来可有效克服切口酶对于目标核酸中特定识别序列的依赖,同时进一步提高了检测灵敏度.实验结果表明,荧光信号与目标DNA浓度的对数值呈线性相关,响应范围为1 pmol/L～1 nmol/L,并且具有良好的识别单碱基变异的能力.此外,本方法序列设计简单,通用性强,仅改变定位探针的部分序列即可实现对不同目标DNA的检测.对掺杂于血清中的目标DNA的检测结果验证了本方法在实际样品检测中的应用潜力.     

基于分子信标定量检测肿瘤细胞p21 mRNA表达变化

根据p21基因序列设计合成特异性检测p21 mRNA的分子信标, 发展了一种体外快速、定量检测p21 mRNA的新方法, 将其用于肿瘤细胞p21 mRNA表达水平的检测. 结果发现: 抑制p53表达引起CNE2细胞中p21 mRNA表达水平降低, 转染ING1诱导MCF-7细胞中p21 mRNA表达上调, 5-氟尿嘧啶处理MCF-7细胞后p21 mRNA表达水平呈浓度和时间相关性变化. 这种特异性强、操作快速、简便的新方法有望广泛用于各类样品中p21 mRNA表达水平检测.     

分子信标技术

分子信标是一种高灵敏度、高特异性的新型荧光核酸探针。它在与互补DNA／RNA靶序列杂交时放出荧光。本文结合本实验室的研究,从分子信标的结构、性质、应用及发展等进行了介绍。     

一种新型荧光探针--分子信标的研究及应用进展

分子信标是一种基于荧光能量转移原理而设计的发夹型寡聚核酸荧光探针。它通过与核酸等靶分子相互作用后发生构象的变化而产生荧光信号,对靶分子的检测具有灵敏度高、选择性强、适合于活体实时检测等优点。目前已广泛应用于生物化学分析、生物医学研究和环境监测等各领域。本文对分子信标的设计原理及其研究和应用进展进行了综述。     

多色蓝在核酸分子上的Langmuir聚集吸附

用微相吸附-光谱修正（MPASC）新技术研究核酸与多色蓝(PCB)探针分子间的相互作用，分析核酸分子内双静电膜的形成与Langmuir吸附的关联性.通过pH 7.24的介质核酸-PCB反应的光谱研究，测定了结合产物的物理化学参数：结合比1PCB:2DNA-PCB、1PCB:3RNA-PCB, 平衡常数KDNA-PCB=5.42×104， KRNA-PCB=2.82×104,摩尔吸收系数ε(DNA-PCB, 625 nm)=5.65×103（mo1－1•L ）•cm－1， ε(RNA-PCB, 625 nm)=3.85×103 （mol－1•L）•cm－1.结果表明， RNA分子仅形成约60％双螺旋结构链，核酸双螺旋每一周期的负静电沟最大聚集10个PCB分子.该吸附反应用于核酸样品测定，结果良好.     

基于核酸探针的光学传感方法和细胞成像研究

许多疾病的特征在于各种生物分子表现出的异常活性,这些物质通常在细胞内外显示过表达现象,因此对其灵敏靶向识别可以提供诊断和治疗效用。由于基因诊疗和化学传感技术的发展,用于灵敏检测细胞内外生物化学物质的核酸探针突显优势。核酸探针可以在稳定进入细胞的同时,特异性地结合目标物质,通过光学方法检测或通过成像技术标识出来。本文综述了采用光学传感方法和成像技术,基于核酸探针检测生物分子的新进展。根据检测对象进行分类,概括分析了几个代表性体系:核酸序列、蛋白质和酶、化学物质和物理化学条件,并详细阐述其关键设计原理、灵敏度及样品检测等结果,同时指出了各类核酸探针的优缺点。     

基于核酸切割酶与脱氧核酶的荧光循环放大系统检测铅(Ⅱ)

利用核酸切割酶(Nicking endonuclease)识别特定DNA双链并切割其中某条单链的性质,构建了基于8-17E脱氧核酶(8-17E DNAzyme)的pb2+荧光循环放大检测方法.pb2+可激活8-17E脱氧核酶水解RNA底物,产生并释放出的单链与分子信标探针( Molecular beacon,MB)杂交,导致其茎环结构被破坏,荧光信号恢复;同时形成含有核酸切割酶Nt.BbvCI识别位点的双链区域.在核酸切割酶Nt.BbvCI的作用下,分子信标探针被切割释放,游离出来的单链可与其它分子信标重新杂交,从而触发下一轮酶切,引起荧光检测信号的循环放大.本方法避免了8-17E脱氧核酶与底物链的修饰,最低可以检测出水溶液中1.0×10-10 mol/L Pb2+,并在2倍浓度的Zn2+,以及5倍浓度的其它干扰金属离子存在的情况下对pb2+显示出良好的选择性.本方法对环境水样中pb2+的标准加样回收率为96.1％～108.0％.     

分子信标研究5-氟尿嘧啶对鼻咽癌HNE1细胞p33ING1基因转录水平的影响

p33ING1作为一种重要的抑癌基因，在乳腺癌及胃癌等恶性肿瘤细胞中的mRNA表达水平显著低于癌旁正常组织细胞中的表达，并导致这些肿瘤细胞的侵袭转移能力增强，对化疗药物及r射线和紫外线处理的敏感性降低。     

分子信标用于p53 mRNA的体外定量检测

根据p53基因的序列设计并合成了能特异性检测p53 mRNA的分子信标(MB), 发展了一种快速定量测定细胞内总RNA提取物中p53 mRNA的方法. 采用鼻咽癌(CNE2)细胞系和经RNA干扰技术降低p53基因表达的CNE2-p53RNAi细胞系, 抽提总RNA并用MB检测, 验证了MB的检测对象是p53 mRNA. 将该方法应用于多种肿瘤细胞内p53基因表达水平的分析, 表达变化趋势与经典的mRNA分析方法RT-PCR检测结果相符. 在此基础上, 用MB对5-氟尿嘧啶(5-Fu)处理的肺腺癌细胞(A549)进行了p53 mRNA的体外定量检测, 结果表明采用MB能够快速地获知该药物对细胞内p53 mRNA表达影响的信息.     

Effects of the cyclin-dependent kinase 10 (CDK10) on the tamoxifen sensitivity of keloid samples

Cyclin-dependent kinase 10 (CDK10) is a cell cycle regulating protein kinase, which has just been discriminated in recent years. In this paper, mRNA and protein expression of CDK10 were first investigated by a comparative study between 23 human keloid tissue samples and their adjacent normal skin. To further address its potential as a therapeutic target in the treatment of keloid, a plasmid expressing the CDK10 gene was transfected into keloid fibroblast. The effects on tamoxifen-induced apoptosis were then investigated using Western blot assay and flow cytometry. Results showed that there is a generally down-regulated expression of CDK10 in keloid compared to normal skin samples. Transfection with the recombinant CDK10 plasmid significantly decreased the viability of cells and increased the apoptosis rates. Tamoxifen sensitivity in keloid fibroblasts was observed after treatment with the recombinant CDK10 plasmid. The results suggested that CDK10 may play an important role in enhancement of tamoxifen efficiency, and its expression may have a synergistic effect on keloid treatments.     

Establishment of a Tumor-bearing Mouse Model Stably Expressing EGFP Labeled Human MUC1 VNTRs

Two eukaryotic vectors expressing 9 tandem repeats of human MUCI（VNTR）, VR1012-VNTR, and pEGFP-VNTR, were constructed by cloning VNTR gene into VR1012 and pEGFP, respectively. VNTR stably expressing murine Lewis lung carcinoma（LLC） cell line（VNTR^＋ LLC） was established by Lipofectamine-mediated transfection of pEGFP-VNTR into LLC cells. The EGFP expression was observed under a fluorescent microscope and VNTR expression in VNTR^＋ LLC cells was confirmed by means of Western blotting. A syngenic graft tumor model was generated by subcutaneous injection of VNTR^＋ LLC cells into C57/BL6 mice and tumor size increased rapidly with time and in a cell qumber dependent manner. VNTR mRNA expression in the tumor formed was confirmed by RT-PCR. After the third immunization mice were challenged subcutaneously with 5×10^5 VNTR^＋ LLC cells, a significant reduction of subcutaneous tumor growth was observed in the groups immunized with VNTR plasmid DNA compared with that in the groups immunized with the vector DNA alone. Thus, the suppression of subcutaneous tumor was antigen-specific. This model is useful for the development of tumor vaccines targeting MUCI VNTRs.     

Live‐Cell Imaging of Endogenous mRNAs with a Small Molecule

Determination of subcellular localization and dynamics of mRNA is increasingly important to understanding gene expression. A new convenient and versatile method is reported that permits spatiotemporal imaging of specific non‐engineered RNAs in living cells. The method uses transfection of a plasmid encoding a gene‐specific RNA aptamer, combined with a cell‐permeable synthetic small molecule, the fluorescence of which is restored only when the RNA aptamer hybridizes with its cognitive mRNA. The method was validated by live‐cell imaging of the endogenous mRNA of β‐actin. Application of the technology to mRNAs of a total of 84 human cytoskeletal genes allowed us to observe cellular dynamics of several endogenous mRNAs including arfaptin‐2, cortactin, and cytoplasmic FMR1‐interacting protein 2. The RNA‐imaging technology and its further optimization might permit live‐cell imaging of any RNA molecules.     

A tumor mRNA-mediated bi-photosensitizer molecular beacon as an efficient imaging and photosensitizing agent

A bi-photosensitizer molecular beacon (bi-PS MB) is assembled by coupling two PS molecules, respectively, onto the opposite ends of a single MB. The MB can be triggered by a tumor marker-survivin mRNA. Fluorescence and cytotoxic (1)O(2) generation occur effectively in breast cancer cells, but not in normal cells. Compared with a single-PS MB, a bi-PS MB exhibits much-enhanced properties in the signal-to-background ratio and (1)O(2) generation simultaneously.     

Efficient DNA electrotransfer into tumors

DNA transfer to tumor cells of antiproliferative genes or of genes coding for immunomodulatory or antiangiogenic products is a promising approach for cancer therapy. However, intratumoral injection of plasmid DNA either naked or associated to chemical vectors results in a low level of gene expression. Recently, electrically mediated gene transfer has been described to strongly increase foreign gene expression in various tissues. We confirm and extend these observations using long duration electric pulses for several murine and human tumor models, using a reporter gene encoding for luciferase. After plasmid intratumoral injection, eight electric pulses of 20-ms duration were delivered at a frequency of 1 Hz through two flat parallel stainless steel electrodes placed at each side of the tumor. Optimal gene transfer was obtained using a voltage-to-distance ratio comprising between 400 and 600 V/cm. Two days after electrotransfer, we obtained a 10- to 1200-fold increase in gene expression over the naked DNA injection alone, leading to the expression of 0.6 to 300 ng luciferase per tumor. Moreover, histological results using beta-Gal reporter gene injected in H1299 tumor indicate that electrotransfer leads to a substantial increase in the percentage of beta-Gal positive cells. These results confirm the wide potential of electrotransfer for gene therapy in cancer.