Perfluoroalkyl acid exposure induces protective mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum autophagy in lung cells

Xin, Y; Wan, B; Yang, Y; Cui, XJ; Xie, YC; Guo, LH

HERO ID

5079705

Reference Type

Journal Article

Year

2018

Language

English

PMID

30022264

HERO ID 5079705
In Press No
Year 2018
Title Perfluoroalkyl acid exposure induces protective mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum autophagy in lung cells
Authors Xin, Y; Wan, B; Yang, Y; Cui, XJ; Xie, YC; Guo, LH
Journal Archives of Toxicology
Volume 92
Issue 10
Page Numbers 3131-3147
Abstract Wide application of perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) has raised great concerns on their side-effects on human health. PFAAs have been shown to accumulate mainly in the liver and cause hepatotoxicity. However, PFAAs can also deposit in lung tissues through air-borne particles and cause serious pulmonary toxicity. But the underlying mechanisms are still largely unknown. Autophagy is a type of programmed cell death parallel to necrosis and apoptosis, and may be involved in the lung toxicity of PFAAs. In this study, lung cancer cells, A549, were employed as the model to investigate the effects of three PFAAs with different carbon chain lengths on cell autophagy. Through Western blot analysis on LC3-I/II ratio of cells exposed to non-cytotoxic concentration (200 µM) and cytotoxic concentration (350 µM), we found concentration-dependent increase of autophagosomes in cells, which was further confirmed by TEM examination on ultra-thin section of cells and fluorescence imaging on autophagosomes in live cells. The abundance of p62 increased with the PFAAs concentration indicating the blockage of autophagy flux. Furthermore, we identified the mitochondrial autophagy (mitophagy) and endoplasmic reticulum autophagy (ER-phagy) morphologically as the major types of autophagy, suggesting the disruption on mitochondria and ERs. These organelle damages were confirmed by the overgeneration of ROS, hyperpolarization of mitochondrial membrane potential, as well as the up-regulation of ER-stress-related proteins, ATF4 and p-IRE1. Further analysis on the signaling pathways showed that PFAAs activated the MAPK pathways and inhibited the PI3K/Akt pathway, with potencies following the order of PFDA > PFNA > PFOA. Anti-oxidant (NAC) treatment did not rescue cells from death, indicating that oxidative stress is not the reason of cytotoxicity. Inhibition of autophagy by Atg5 siRNA and chloroquine even increased the toxicity of PFAAs, suggesting that PFAAs-autophagy was induced as the secondary effects of organelle damages and played a protective role during cell death.
Doi 10.1007/s00204-018-2266-0
Pmid 30022264
Wosid WOS:000452891700011
Url http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s00204-018-2266-0
Is Certified Translation No
Dupe Override No
Is Public Yes
Language Text English
Keyword PFAAs; Mitophagy; ER-phagy; Lung toxicity