Autophagy activation and the mechanism of retinal microvascular endothelial cells in hypoxia
AIM: To explore the state of autophagy and related mechanisms in the murine retinal microvascular endothelial cells (RMECs) under hypoxia stimulation. METHODS: The murine RMECs were primarily cultured and randomly divided into three groups: hypoxia group (cultured in 1% O2 environment), hypoxia+aut...
Main Authors: | , , , , |
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Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Press of International Journal of Ophthalmology (IJO PRESS)
2018-04-01
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Series: | International Journal of Ophthalmology |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://www.ijo.cn/en_publish/2018/4/20180405.pdf |
Summary: | AIM: To explore the state of autophagy and related mechanisms in the murine retinal microvascular endothelial cells (RMECs) under hypoxia stimulation.
METHODS: The murine RMECs were primarily cultured and randomly divided into three groups: hypoxia group (cultured in 1% O2 environment), hypoxia+autophagy inhibition group [pretreated with 5 mmol/L 3-methyladenine (3-MA) for 4h followed by incubation in 1% O2] and control group (cultured under normoxic condition). The state of autophagy in RMECs was examined by assaying the turnover of light chain 3B (LC3BB) and expression of Beclin-1, Atg3 and Atg5 proteins with Western blotting, by detecting formation of autophagosomes with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and by counting the number of GFP+ puncta in RMECs. The protein levels of AMPK, P-AMPK, Akt, P-Akt, m-TOR and P-mTOR were also assayed by Western blotting.
RESULTS: Primary murine RMECs were successfully cultured. Under hypoxic conditions, the ratio of LC3BB-II/I and the expression of Beclin-1, Atg3 and Atg5 proteins were increased when compared with the control group. In addition, the numbers of autophagosome and the GFP+ puncta were also increased under hypoxia. However, pre-treatment with 3-MA obviously attenuated these changes in autophagy in RMECs under hypoxia. Protein expression of P-Akt and P-AMPK was increased but P-mTOR level was decreased in cells exposed to hypoxia.
CONCLUSION: In murine RMECs autophagy is activated under hypoxia possibly through activation of the AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway. |
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ISSN: | 2222-3959 2227-4898 |