Itm2a,即Integral Membrane Protein 2A,是一种跨膜蛋白,属于BRICHOS结构域蛋白家族,包括Itm2a、Itm2b和Itm2c等成员。Itm2a在造血细胞中表达,尤其在T细胞系中表达较高,并在MHC介导的正选择中被诱导表达[2]。Itm2a基因定位于X染色体上,含有6个外显子和5个内含子,其5'端调控区域含有多种转录因子的结合位点,这些转录因子在软骨或骨特异性基因的转录调控中发挥作用[4]。Itm2a基因在体内表达于骨骼肌形成的部位,如体节中的真皮肌节和肌节,以及在肢体芽中[3]。此外,Itm2a在成年肌纤维和负责再生的卫星细胞中也有表达[3]。
Itm2a基因的突变或缺失对T细胞的发育和功能影响较小,但对携带MHC I类限制性TCR的胸腺细胞发育存在部分缺陷[2]。Itm2a基因的转录调控由GATA-3等T细胞特异性转录因子介导[2]。此外,Itm2a基因的表达还受到Pax3等转录因子的调控,Pax3是神经、神经嵴和骨骼肌发育的关键调节因子[3]。Itm2a基因的缺失小鼠在骨骼肌形成或再生过程中没有明显的表型,但Itm2a基因的表达在体内和体外实验中均被证实参与了早期软骨形成过程[3][7]。
在骨和软骨细胞分化中,Itm2a基因的表达下调与多种疾病相关。例如,在强直性脊柱炎(AS)患者中,巨噬细胞中Itm2a基因的表达显著下调[1]。Itm2a基因的表达还与乳腺癌的预后相关,高表达Itm2a基因的患者预后较好[5]。此外,Itm2a基因的沉默可以挽救LMNA基因突变导致的脂肪细胞分化缺陷,这表明Itm2a基因在脂肪细胞分化中也发挥重要作用[6]。
Itm2a基因的突变或缺失与自身免疫性疾病相关。例如,在韩国儿童中,Itm2a基因的rs1751094单核苷酸多态性与自身免疫性甲状腺疾病(AITD)相关,尤其是在女性患者中[8]。此外,Itm2a基因的rs3827440位点的多态性与GD的易感性相关,并可能通过环境因素的相互作用影响GD的发病机制[9]。
综上所述,Itm2a基因在多种生物学过程中发挥作用,包括细胞分化、发育、代谢和疾病发生。Itm2a基因的表达受到多种转录因子的调控,并在骨和软骨细胞分化中发挥重要作用。Itm2a基因的突变或缺失与多种疾病相关,包括自身免疫性疾病和肿瘤。对Itm2a基因的深入研究有助于揭示其在疾病发生发展中的作用机制,为疾病的治疗和预防提供新的思路和策略。
参考文献:
1. Lari, Arezou, Gholami Pourbadie, Hamid, Jafari, Mohieddin, Jamshidi, Ahmadreza, Mahmoudi, Mahdi. 2021. Downregulation of ITM2A Gene Expression in Macrophages of Patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis. In International archives of allergy and immunology, 182, 1113-1121. doi:10.1159/000516179. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34161951/
2. Tai, Tzong-Shyuan, Pai, Sung-Yun, Ho, I-Cheng. 2014. Itm2a, a target gene of GATA-3, plays a minimal role in regulating the development and function of T cells. In PloS one, 9, e96535. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0096535. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24831988/
3. Lagha, Mounia, Mayeuf-Louchart, Alicia, Chang, Ted, Buckingham, Margaret E, Relaix, Frederic. 2013. Itm2a is a Pax3 target gene, expressed at sites of skeletal muscle formation in vivo. In PloS one, 8, e63143. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0063143. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23650549/
4. Pittois, K, Wauters, J, Bossuyt, P, Deleersnijder, W, Merregaert, J. . Genomic organization and chromosomal localization of the Itm2a gene. In Mammalian genome : official journal of the International Mammalian Genome Society, 10, 54-6. doi:. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9892734/
5. Zhang, Rui, Xu, Tao, Xia, Yu, Li, Xingrui, Chen, Wen. 2021. ITM2A as a Tumor Suppressor and Its Correlation With PD-L1 in Breast Cancer. In Frontiers in oncology, 10, 581733. doi:10.3389/fonc.2020.581733. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33680917/
6. Davies, Stephanie J, Ryan, James, O'Connor, Patrick B F, O'Connor, Rosemary, McCarthy, Tommie V. 2017. Itm2a silencing rescues lamin A mediated inhibition of 3T3-L1 adipocyte differentiation. In Adipocyte, 6, 259-276. doi:10.1080/21623945.2017.1362510. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28872940/
7. Van den Plas, Dave, Merregaert, Joseph. . In vitro studies on Itm2a reveal its involvement in early stages of the chondrogenic differentiation pathway. In Biology of the cell, 96, 463-70. doi:. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15325075/
8. Cho, Won K, Baek, In-Cheol, Kim, Sung E, Kim, Tai-Gyu, Suh, Byung-Kyu. . Association of ITM2A rs1751094 polymorphism on X chromosome in Korean pediatric patients with autoimmune thyroid disease. In Immunity, inflammation and disease, 11, e800. doi:10.1002/iid3.800. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36988246/
9. Ye, Xiao-Ping, Yuan, Fei-Fei, Zhang, Le-Le, Liang, Jun, Zheng, Cui-Xia. . ITM2A Expands Evidence for Genetic and Environmental Interaction in Graves Disease Pathogenesis. In The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism, 102, 652-660. doi:10.1210/jc.2016-2625. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27809695/