基于萤火虫荧光素酶报告基因检测凋亡的系统构建及鉴定

Construction and identification of an apoptosis detection system based on firefly luciferase reporter gene

摘要:

为构建一个能够快速检测凋亡的含荧光素酶报告基因 (Fluc) 的真核表达质粒，采用PCR的方法将Caspase-3的识别基序Asp-Glu-Val-Asp (DEVD) 四个氨基酸引入至Fluc基因的C端和N端之间；同时选取Asp-Glu-Val-Gly (DEVG) 四个氨基酸作为阴性对照。随后重组片段分别克隆至分离型内含肽的N端和C端之间，并命名为pFluc-DEVD和pFluc-DEVG。将该表达质粒与海肾荧光素酶报告质粒 (RLUC) 同时转染至HeLa细胞，通过双荧光素酶报告基因和Western blotting实验检测细胞凋亡水平。双荧光素酶报告基因系统实验结果显示，当发生凋亡时，pFluc-DEVD质粒组表达的萤火虫荧光素酶的含量高出pFluc-DEVG质粒组约3倍。Western blotting检测结果显示，转染pFluc-DEVD质粒的细胞在凋亡药物刺激后，Fluc活化的蛋白显著增多，且Caspase-3 的活化程度与Fluc的表达呈正相关，并有显著的统计学差异。以上结果表明，pFluc-DEVD真核表达质粒表达的萤火虫荧光素酶蛋白能被细胞内的Caspase-3酶裂解，且该质粒能够精确地反映出细胞的凋亡水平，为后续进行凋亡定量检测提供了一个可借鉴的方法。

Abstract:

To construct a eukaryotic expression plasmid containing the luciferase reporter gene (Fluc) to quickly detect apoptosis. Four amino acids, Asp-Glu-Val-Asp (DEVD), the recognize motif of Caspase-3, were introduced into the middle of the Fluc-C and N fragment. Meanwhile, four amino acids, Asp-Glu-Val-Gly (DEVG), were selected as a negative control. Subsequently, the recombinant gene was cloned into the N and C terminal end of the split intein, and named as pFluc-DEVD and pFluc-DEVG. Then the plasmids were transfected into cells and renilla luciferase was co-transfected in each sample as an internal control for transfection efficiency. Then the apoptosis level was detected by the double luciferase reporter gene and the Western blotting analysis. The results showed that when apoptosis occurred, the content of firefly luciferase expressed in the pFluc-DEVD plasmid transfected group was about 3 times higher than pFluc-DEVG plasmid transfected group. Furthermore, Western blotting detection indicated that the Fluc level was significantly increased in pFluc-DEVD transfected group when pre-treated by apoptosis stimulants. The activation degree of Caspase-3 was closely related to the expression of Fluc, and had a significant statistical difference. These results confirmed that firefly luciferase protein expressed by pFluc-DEVD plasmid can be cleaved by the intracellular Caspase-3 enzyme, and this plasmid can accurately reflect the cell apoptosis level, which provides a useful method for quantitative detection of apoptosis.