The relationship between Cd‐induced autophagy and lysosomal activation in WRL‐68 cells

This study shows that Cd induces autophagy in the human's embryonic normal liver cell line (WRL‐68). The expression of LC3B‐II and the mature cathepsin L were analyzed by Western blotting. The autophagosomes and lysosomes were directly visualized by electron microscopy and confocal microscopy analysis in Cd‐exposed WRL‐68 cells. In this study, we first found that autophagy induced the activation of lysosomal function in WRL‐68 cells. The lysosomal activation was markedly decreased when the cells were co‐treated with 3‐MA (an inhibitor of autophagy). Secondly, we provided the evidence that the activation of lysosomal function depended on autophagosome–lysosome fusion. The colocalization of lysosome‐associated membrane protein‐2 (LAMP2) and GFP‐LC3 was significantly reduced, when they were treated with thapsigargin (an inhibitor of autophagosome–lysosome fusion). We demonstrated that deletion or blockage of the autophagosome–lysosome fusion process effectively diminished lysosomal activation, which suggests that lysosomal activation occurring in the course of autophagy is dependent on autophagosome–lysosome fusion. Thirdly, we provided evidence that the activation of lysosomal function was associated with lysosomal acid. We investigated the relationship between autophagosome–lysosome fusion and pH in acidic compartments by visualizing fusion process in WRL‐68 cells. This suggests that increasing pH in acidic compartments in WRL‐68 cells inhibits the autophagosome–lysosome fusion. Finally, we found that the activation of lysosomal function was associated with Ca²⁺ stores and the intracellular Ca²⁺ channels or pumps were possibly pH‐dependent. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Carnosic acid induces autophagic cell death through inhibition of the Akt/mTOR pathway in human hepatoma cells

The therapeutic goal of cancer treatment is now geared towards triggering tumour‐selective cell death with autophagic cell death being required for the chemotherapy of apoptosis‐resistant cancer. In this study, Carnosic acid (CA), a polyphenolic diterpene isolated from Rosemary (Rosemarinus officinalis), significantly induced autophagic cell death in HepG2 cells. Ca treatment caused the formation of autophagic vacuoles produced an increasing ratio of LC3‐II to LC3‐I in a time‐ and dose‐dependent manner but had no effect on the levels of autophagy‐related protein ATG6 and ATG13 expression. Autophagy inhibitors, 3‐methyladenine (3‐MA), chloroquine and bafilomycin A1, or ATG genes silencing in HepG2 cells significantly inhibited CA‐induced autophagic cell death. The CA treatment decreased the levels of phosphorylated Akt and mTOR without any effects on PI3K or PTEN. Most importantly, overexpression of Akt and knockdown of PTEN attenuated autophagy induction in CA‐treated cells. Taken together, our results indicated that CA induced autophagic cell death through inhibition of the Akt/mTOR pathway in human hepatoma cells. These findings suggest that CA has a great potential for the treatment of hepatoma via autophagic induction. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

β‐asarone and levodopa co‐administration protects against 6‐hydroxydopamine‐induced damage in parkinsonian rat mesencephalon by regulating autophagy: down‐expression Beclin‐1 and light chain 3B and up‐expression P62

In this study, we investigated Beclin‐1, light chain (LC)3B, and p62 expression in 6‐hydroxydopamine (6‐OHDA)‐induced parkinsonian rats after β‐asarone and levodopa (l ‐dopa) co‐administration. Unilateral 6‐OHDA injection into the medial forebrain bundle was used to create the models, except in sham‐operated rats. Rats were divided into eight groups: sham‐operated group; 6‐OHDA model group; madopar group (75 mg/kg, per os (p.o.)); l ‐dopa group (60 mg/kg, p.o.); β‐asarone group (15 mg/kg, p.o.); β‐asarone + l ‐dopa co‐administered group (15 mg/kg + 60 mg/kg, p.o.); 3‐methyladenine group (500 nmol, intraperitoneal injection); and rapamycin group (1 mg/kg, intraperitoneal injection). Then, Beclin‐1, LC3B, and p62 expression in the mesencephalon were detected. The mesencephalon was also observed by transmission electron microscope. The results showed that Beclin‐1 and LC3B expression decreased and that p62 expression increased significantly in the madopar, l ‐dopa, β‐asarone, and co‐administered groups when compared with the 6‐OHDA model. Beclin‐1 and LC3B expression in the β‐asarone and co‐administered groups were less than in the madopar or l ‐dopa groups, whereas p62 expression in the β‐asarone and co‐administered groups was higher than in the madopar or l ‐dopa groups. In addition, a significant decrease in autophagosome was exhibited in the β‐asarone and co‐administered groups when compared with the 6‐OHDA group. Our findings indicate that Beclin‐1 and LC3B expression decreased, whereas p62 expression increased after co‐administration treatment. In sum, all data suggest that the co‐administration of β‐asarone and l ‐dopa may contribute to the treatment of 6‐OHDA‐induced damage in rats by inhibiting autophagy activity.     

雷帕霉素诱导细胞自噬在衰老相关疾病中的作用

哺乳动物雷帕霉素靶蛋白(mammalian target of rapamycin,m TOR)是衰老和衰老相关疾病的一个关键调节因子。雷帕霉素(rapamycin,RAPA)可通过抑制m TOR通路,诱导和促进细胞自噬的发生。细胞自噬是维持细胞内稳态的主要方式与途径,通过降解多余的、受损的及衰老的蛋白与细胞器,为细胞重建、再生和修复提供必需原料。早老症(hutchinson-gilford progeria syndrome,HGPS)患者细胞中伴随早老蛋白(progerin)的异常聚集;此外,诸如亨廷顿病、帕金森病、阿尔茨海默病等神经退行性疾病细胞内同样出现异常蛋白质的聚集,而这些异常蛋白的清除正依赖于细胞的自噬作用。由此可见,雷帕霉素是潜在的抗衰老、治疗早老症及衰老相关疾病的重要药物。该文主要阐述雷帕霉素促进细胞自噬方面的功能及在HGPS、神经退行性疾病方面的应用。     

黄芪多糖对大鼠缺氧/复氧诱导的心肌细胞自噬及凋亡抑制作用的机制探讨

目的：探究黄芪多糖（APS）通过调控高迁移率族蛋白1/Toll样受体4/核转录因子-κB(HMGB1/TLR4/NF-κB)信号通路对大鼠缺氧/复氧（H/R）诱导的心肌细胞自噬及凋亡的抑制作用。方法：建立H9C2心肌细胞H/R损伤模型并分为4组：对照组、H/R组、APS组和HMGB1抑制剂组。CCK-8法和EdU染色法检测细胞增殖能力;酶联免疫吸附试验检测细胞肿瘤坏死因子（TNF）-α、白细胞介素（IL）-1β、IL-6含量;透射电镜观察细胞自噬小体的形成;膜联蛋白V-异硫氰酸荧光素/碘化丙啶（AnnexinV-FITC/PI）双染法检测细胞凋亡;实时定量PCR检测细胞HMGB1、TLR4、NF-κB p65 mRNA表达水平;蛋白免疫印迹法检测细胞HMGB1、TLR4、NF-κB p65、B细胞淋巴瘤-2(Bcl-2)、Bcl-2相关X蛋白（Bax）、含半胱氨酸的天冬氨酸蛋白水解酶-3(caspase-3)、P62、微管相关蛋白1A/1B-轻链3(MAP1LC3,缩写为LC3)-Ⅱ蛋白表达水平。结果：与对照组相比,H/R组细胞增殖能力明显减弱,凋亡及自噬水平明显增加,细胞内可见大量自...     

CD40 ligand and interferon‐γ induce an antimicrobial response against Mycobacterium tuberculosis in human monocytes

The ability of T cells to activate antimicrobial pathways in infected macrophages is essential to host defence against many intracellular pathogens. Here, we compared the ability of two T‐cell‐mediated mechanisms to trigger antimicrobial responses against Mycobacterium tuberculosis in humans, CD40 activation and the release of interferon‐γ (IFN‐γ). Given that IFN‐γ activates a vitamin D‐dependent antimicrobial response, we focused on induction of the key components of this pathway. We show that activation of human monocytes via CD40 ligand (CD40L) and IFN‐γ, alone, and in combination, induces the CYP27b1‐hydroxylase, responsible for the conversion of 25‐hydroxyvitamin D (25D) to the bioactive 1,25‐dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25D), and the vitamin D receptor (VDR). The activation of the vitamin D pathway by CD40L and IFN‐γ results in up‐regulated expression of the antimicrobial peptides, cathelicidin and DEFB4, as well as induction of autophagy. Finally, activation of monocytes via CD40L and IFN‐γ results in an antimicrobial activity against intracellular M. tuberculosis. Our data suggest that at least two parallel T‐cell‐mediated mechanisms, CD40L and IFN‐γ, activate the vitamin D‐dependent antimicrobial pathway and trigger antimicrobial activity against intracellular M. tuberculosis, thereby contributing to human host defence against intracellular infection.     

Rapamycin attenuates articular cartilage degeneration by inhibiting β-catenin in a murine model of osteoarthritis

Purpose: To investigate whether systemic injection of rapamycin attenuates articular cartilage degeneration by inhibiting β-catenin in a murine model of osteoarthritis (OA).

Materials and methods: Ten-week-old male C57BL/6j wild-type (WT) mice and SOST-knockout (SOST^?/?) mice were randomized to a sham group, a vehicle-treated group, and a rapamycin-treated group. Mice in the vehicle-treated group underwent destabilizing of the medial meniscus (DMM) in the right knee, and were then treated with vehicle. Mice in the rapamycin treatment group underwent DMM and were treated with rapamycin. Safranin O-Fast green staining and Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI) modified Mankin score were used to evaluate the histopathological features of the articular cartilage in the knee. The expression of light chain 3 (LC3) was evaluated by immunofluorescence, whereas the expression of ATG5, matrix metallopeptidase 13 (MMP-13), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), sclerostin, and β-catenin were evaluated by immunohistochemistry. TUNEL staining was used to determine apoptosis of chondrocytes.

Results: In vehicle-treated mice when compared with mice in the sham group, the OARSI scores, expression of MMP-13, VEGF, sclerostin, β-catenin, and chondrocyte apoptosis were significantly increased, whereas the expression of LC3 and ATG5 were significantly decreased. A systemic injection of rapamycin activated chondrocyte autophagy, which increased the expression of LC3 and ATG-5, and reduced OARSI scores, the expression of β-catenin, MMP-13, and VEGF, and chondrocyte apoptosis in rapamycin treated mice when compared with vehicle-treated mice.

Conclusions: Systemic injection of rapamycin attenuated articular cartilage degeneration by inhibiting β-catenin in a murine model of OA.     

Fat chance for longevity

The health benefits of specific fatty acids and physiological roles of fat metabolism are important subjects that are still poorly understood. In this issue of Genes & Development, O''Rourke and colleagues (pp. 429–440) uncovered a role for lipase-generated ω-6 fatty acids in promoting autophagy and, consequently, life span extension under both fed and fasting conditions. The impact of this finding is discussed with regard to the nutritional value of ω-6 fatty acids and regulatory functions of fat metabolism beyond its well-known role in energy storage.     

Immunization with plasmids encoding M2 acetylcholine muscarinic receptor epitopes impairs cardiac function in mice and induces autophagy in the myocardium

Abstract

Autoantibodies against the M2 subtype of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors with functional activities have been found in the sera of patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), and the second extracellular loop has been established as the predominant epitope. However, it has been shown that the third intracellular loop is recognized by Chagas disease patients with severe cardiac dysfunction. In this work, BALB/c mice were immunized with plasmids encoding these two epitopes, and a control group received the empty plasmid (pcDNA3 vector). Serum from these DNA-immunized animals had elevated and persistent titres of antibodies against respective antigens. Heart echocardiography indicated diminished left ventricular wall thickness and reduced ejection fraction for both epitope-immunized groups, and ergospirometry tests showed a significant decrease in the exercise time and oxygen consumption. Transfer of serum from these immunized mice into naïve recipients induced the same alterations in cardiac structure and function. Furthermore, electron microscopy analysis of donor-immunized animals revealed several ultrastructural alterations suggestive of autophagy and mitophagy, suggesting novel roles for these autoantibodies. Overall, greater functional and structural impairment was observed in the donor and recipient epitope groups, implicating the third intracellular loop epitope in the pathological effects for the first-time. Therefore, the corresponding peptides could be useful for autoimmune DCM diagnosis and targeted therapy.