Potential Crosstalk Of Ca²⁺-ROS Dependent Mechanism Involved In Kasumi cells’ Apoptosis Induced By Lentivirus-Mediated HO-1 siRNA

Using lentivirus-mediated HO-1 siRNA (lenti-siHO-1-GFP) to silence the HO-1 gene in Kasumi cells so as to explore the role and mechanism of HO-1 on cell apoptosis.

To infect Kasumi cells with lenti-siHO-1-GFP and check the infection efficiency by using fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry (FCM). Experimental group was divided into three groups: untreated Kasumi (K), infected Kasumi by empty vector (lenti-GFP-K) and infected Kasumi by lentivirus-mediated HO-1 siRNA (lenti-siHO-1-K). The HO-1 expression of each group was detected by realtime PCR. Fluo3-AM method was used to detect the intracellular Ca²⁺ accumulation. DCFH-DA was used for the measurement of intracellular ROS. The change of mitochondrial membrane potential was evaluated by JC-1 stainning by using FCM. After being treated with various concentrations of daunorubicin for 24, 48, and 72 h respectively, cell viability was determined by MTT assay. Cell apoptosis was determined by FCM following with cells dual-stained with Annexin-V-FITC and propidium iodide (PI). The mRNA of HO-1 and apoptosis-related genes were analyzed by realtime PCR and, the expressions of their corresponding protein were determined by western blot. Additionally, After treating with 10mM Ca²⁺chelator BAPTA-AM and 0.5mM NAC for 12h, Ca²⁺ accumulation, ROS generation, the expression of HO-1 and apoptosis-related genes were detected respectively. Result presented in mean±sd manner.

After lenti-siHO-1-GFP infection for 48h, we could observe the fluorescence clear, the fluorescent intensity was 95.87% after 72 hours. The HO-1 silencing efficiency of lenti-siHO-1-K was 77.00%. MTT result showed that daunorubicin exerted moderate inhibitory effects on cell proliferation in a dose and time dependent manner. With the same treating conditions, the cell viability of lenti-siHO-1-K group was significantly lower than the other two groups(e.g 49.20±1.30% survival in lenti-siHO-1-K group, 72.40±1.90% in K group and 74.10±2.10% in lenti-GFP-K group after being treated by 5ug/ml DNR,respectively, p=0.014), while the apoptosis rate was higher than the other two groups(e.g 75.77±3.41% in lenti-siHO-1-K group, 23.72±2.03% in K group and 26.10±1.95% in lenti-GFP-K group after being treated by 5ug/ml DNR,respectively, p=0.011). Compared with other two groups, the lenti-siHO-1-K group showed a downregulation in the mRNA and protein expression of HO-1. The mRNA and protein expressions of cyto-C, caspase3, caspase8, caspase9 and caspase12 in lenti-siHO-1-K group were upregulated after exposure to 5ug/ml daunorubicin for 24 hours. Compared with K and lenti-GFP-K groups, Ca²⁺ accumulation in lenti-siHO-1-K group was increased significantly(e.g 40.35±2.10% in lenti-siHO-1-K group, 17.30±1.81% in K group and 14.15±1.75% in lenti-GFP-K group,respectively, p=0.041). The ROS generation was higher than the other two groups(e.g 47.65±2.05% in lenti-siHO-1-K group, 21.30±1.94% in K group and19.90±2.01% in lenti-GFP-K group,respectively, p=0.037). The ratio of Green/Red fluorescence intensity increased significantly in lenti-siHO-1-K group(e.g 0.704±0.06 in lenti-siHO-1-K group, 0.57±0.09 in K group and 0.527±0.05 in lenti-GFP-K group, respectively, p=0.042). After exposure to 10mM BAPTA-AM and 0.1mM NAC alone or combined with, both the intracellular Ca²⁺accumulation and the ROS level in lenti-siHO-1-K group reduced(17.59±1.01% of Ca²⁺acumulation and 19.78±1.3% of ROS production after BAPTA-AM treatment alone, 23.42±1.97% of Ca²⁺and 15.47±1.14% of ROS after being treated by NAC alone, 16.52±1.23% of Ca²⁺and 14.37±1.21% of ROS after treatment by both agent) , while the mRNA and protein expressions of cyto-C, caspase3, caspase8, caspase9 and caspase12, decreased significantly.

HO-1 gene silencing played a role in pro-apoptosis in Kasumi cells. The mechanism may be related to the endoplasmic reticulum stress and abnormal accumulation of intracellular Ca²⁺, ROS generation, descending of the mitochondrial membrane potential and release cyto-C, then further activated the caspases cascade and promoted apoptosis. However, it tended to be initiated by crosstalk in Ca²⁺-ROS pathway.

No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.