二硫苏糖醇通过激活calpain-2/caspase-12信号通路诱导BRL-3A细胞凋亡

目的:探讨二硫苏糖醇(DTT)诱导大鼠正常肝细胞株BRL-3A发生内质网应激时细胞内葡萄糖调节蛋白78(GRP78)、钙蛋白酶2 (calpain-2)、caspase-12及caspase-3的表达变化及对细胞凋亡的影响。方法:采用2. 5 mmol/L DTT分别处理BRL-3A细胞12 h和24 h,应用real-time PCR检测细胞内GRP78、calpain-2、caspase-12及caspase-3的mRNA水平;采用细胞免疫荧光检测细胞内GRP78、calpain-2、caspase-12及caspase-3的蛋白表达;应用Western blot检测cleaved caspase-12及cleaved caspase-3的表达变化;采用流式细胞术检测细胞凋亡情况。结果:BRL-3A细胞经DTT处理12 h及24 h后,GRP78、calpain-2及caspase-12的mRNA表达较正常对照组显著升高(P 0. 01),而caspase-3的mRNA水平与正常对照组比较无显著变化;细胞免疫荧光及Western blot检测发现,DTT处理细胞12 h及24 h后,BRL-3A细胞内GRP78、calpain-2、caspase-12及caspase-3的蛋白表达均较正常对照组显著增高,同时,cleaved caspase-12及cleaved caspase-3的表达也较正常对照组明显增多(P 0. 05);流式细胞术检测发现,经DTT处理后BRL-3A细胞的凋亡率较正常对照组显著增加(P 0. 05)。结论:二硫苏糖醇诱导BRL-3A细胞凋亡可能与calpain-2/caspase-12信号通路激活有关。

Dithiothreitol induces apoptosis of BRL-3A cells by activation of calpain-2/caspase-12 signaling pathway

AIM: To investigate the expression changes of glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78), calpain-2, caspase-12 and caspase-3 in dithiothreitol (DTT)-induced endoplasmic reticulum stress in rat normal liver cell line BRL-3A, and to explore their effects on apoptosis of BRL-3A cells. METHODS: BRL-3A cells were treated with 2.5 mmol/L DTT to induce endoplasmic reticulum stress. The mRNA expression of GRP78, calpain-2, caspase-12 and caspase-3 was detected by real-time PCR. The protein expression of GRP78, calpain-2, caspase-12 and caspase-3 was detected by cell immunofluorescence technique. The protein levels of cleaved caspase-12 and cleaved caspase-3 were determined by Western blot. The apoptosis of BRL-3A cells was analyzed by flow cytometry. RESULTS: After treatment with DTT for 12 h and 24 h, the mRNA expression of GRP78, calpain-2 and caspase-12 in the BRL-3A cells was obviously increased compared with normal control group (P<0.01), and no significant change of caspase-3 mRNA after treatment with DTT for 12 h and 24 h was observed. The results of immunofluorescence technique and Western blot showed that the protein levels of GRP78, calpain-2, caspase-12, cleaved caspase-12, caspase-3 and cleaved caspase-3 were obviously elevated after treatment with DTT for 12 h and 24 h(P<0.05). In addition, the increased apoptotic rate was also found in the BRL-3A cells treated with DTT for 12 h and 24 h (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The activation of calpain-2/caspase-12 signaling pathway may be involved in apoptosis of BRL-3A cells induced by DTT.