为了探讨糖原合酶激酶3β(glycogen synthase kinase 3β,GSK3β)和腺瘤性结肠息肉病(adenomatous polyposis coli, APC)蛋白在气道上皮细胞(airway epithelial cells,AECs)损伤和修复中的作用,我们采用机械划线损伤的方法建立体外气道上皮损伤修复模型,采用Western blot、免疫荧光双标共聚焦成像和免疫沉淀的方法观察损伤修复过程中APC蛋白和GSK3β在AECs中表达及分布的动态变化。结果显示:(1)用Western blot方法观察到划线损伤0.5 h后即有GSK3β磷酸化增强(P〈 0.05),6 h达到高峰(P〈0.05),持续到12 h(P〈0.05),24 h开始下降,而GSK3β总量大致保持一致。(2)在免疫荧光双标共聚焦成像实验中,划线损伤0 h组APC蛋白主要表达于胞浆,而划线损伤6 h后APC蛋白主要聚集于损伤前沿区的迁移活跃细胞。(3)免疫共沉淀的实验结果显示,划线损伤0 h时GSK3B和APC蛋白能共同沉淀,但在划线损伤6 h之后,两者发生了分离。以上结果表明:划线损伤后AECs立即启动修复过程,此时GSK3B的活性被抑制,促使APC蛋白游离出来;游离出来的APC蛋白则与微管正极结合,增加了微管的稳定性,从而调节细胞骨架运动,促进气道上皮的损伤修复。
To investigate the roles of glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) and adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) protein in wound repair of airway epithelial cells (AECs), we established a wound model of airway epithelium in vitro. Then the following tests were undertaken: (1) Western blot was used to detect the levels of total GSK3β and phosphorylated GSK3β in human bronchial epithelial (16HBE) cells; (2) The localizations of APC protein was observed by using immunofluorescence technique; (3) Immunoprecipitation was used to investigate the relationship between APC protein and GSK3β during the repair of 16HBE cells. The results were as follows: (1) The level of phosphorylated GSK3β increased 0.5 h after scratching (P〈0.05), reached a maximum at 6 h (P〈0.05), and maintained until 12 h, while the total level of GSK3β remained constant; (2) Results of immunofluorescence study showed that APC protein clustered with tubulin in the region of the migrating leading cells 6 h after scratching, which was dissimilar with that in the cells 0 h after scratching; (3) GSK3β and APC protein were immunoprecipitated and analysed on SDS-PAGE. We found that GSK3β and APC protein were precipitated, indicating that the two proteins existed in a complex. After scratching, dissociation of the two proteins occurred. Taken together, we conclude that scratching caused a decrease in phosphorylation of GSK3β, and that reduced phosphorylation of GSK3β promoted APC protein to bind to the plus ends of microtubules and stabilize the growing ends. These observations suggest that APC protein and GSK3β may synergistically play an important role in the repair of airway epithelium.