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cAMP/PKA Signaling Pathway Induces Apoptosis by Inhibited NF-κB in Aluminum Chloride-Treated Lymphocytes In Vitro

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Abstract

To explore the apoptosis mechanism in lymphocytes of rats induced by aluminum chloride (AlCl3) by activating cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)/protein kinase A (PKA) signaling pathway, the splenic lymphocytes of rats were cultured and exposed to different concentrations of AlCl3 for 24 h. The final concentrations of AlCl3 (AlCl3 · 6H2O) in supernatant were 0 (control group, CG), 0.3 mmol/L (low-dose group, LG), 0.6 mmol/L (mid-dose group, MG), and 1.2 mmol/L (high-dose group, HG), respectively. Lymphocytes Apoptosis rate, intracellular cAMP content, PKA, survivin, B cell lymphoma/leukemia-2 (Bcl-2) and Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax) mRNA expressions, and the mRNA and protein expressions of nuclear factor-κ-gene binding (NF-κB, p65) were detected, respectively. The results showed that apoptosis index of lymphocytes, cAMP content in intracellular and PKA mRNA expression were significantly upregulated, whereas NF-κB and survivin mRNA expressions, nuclear NF-κB (p65) protein expression, and the ratio of Bcl-2 and Bax mRNA expression were downregulated in the AlCl3-treated groups compared with those in CG. The results indicated that the activated cAMP/PKA signaling pathway induces apoptosis by inhibited NF-κB in AlCl3-treated lymphocytes in vitro.

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Acknowledgments

The study was supported by the National Science Foundation Project of China (31172375, 31302147).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, China

    Feibo Xu, Jing Wang, Zheng Cao, Miao Song, Yang Fu & Yanfei Li

  2. Institute of Special Economic Animal and Plant Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun, 130112, China

    Yanzhu Zhu

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  1. Feibo Xu
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  2. Jing Wang
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Correspondence to Yanfei Li.

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Feibo Xu and Jing Wang contributed equally to this work.

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Xu, F., Wang, J., Cao, Z. et al. cAMP/PKA Signaling Pathway Induces Apoptosis by Inhibited NF-κB in Aluminum Chloride-Treated Lymphocytes In Vitro. Biol Trace Elem Res 170, 424–431 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-015-0461-x

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