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High-mobility group box 1 regulates cytoprotective autophagy in a mouse spermatocyte cell line (GC-2spd) exposed to cadmium

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Abstract

Background

Cadmium (Cd) is an environmental and industrial pollutant that induces a broad spectrum of toxicological effects, influences a variety of human organs, and is associated with poor semen quality and male infertility. Increasing evidence demonstrates that Cd induces testicular germ cell apoptosis in rodent animals. However, the specific effect of Cd exposure on autophagy in germ cells is poorly understood.

Methods

We investigate the role of high-mobility group box 1 protein (HMGB1), a ubiquitous nuclear protein, on Cd-evoked autophagy in a mouse spermatocyte cell line (GC-2spd).

Results

Our data have shown that autophagy was significantly elevated in GC-2spd cells exposed to Cd. Furthermore, there was a reduction in rapamycin (RAP)-mediated apoptosis. In addition, Cd exposure reduced cell viability, which is an effect that could be significantly inhibited by RAP treatment. These results indicate that autophagy appears to serve a positive function in reducing Cd-induced cytotoxicity. In addition, HMGB1 increased coincident with the processing of LC3-I to LC3-II. Thus, the upregulation of HMGB1 increases LC3-II levels.

Conclusions

Our data suggest that HMGB1-induced autophagy appears to act as a defense/survival mechanism against Cd cytotoxicity in GC-2spd cells.

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Acknowledgements

This study was funded by The National Natural Science Foundation of China (31171229 and U1132005), The Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province (2014A030312012); International Cooperation Project of Science and Technology Planning Project of Guangdong Province (2013B51000087); Science and Information Technology of Guangzhou Key Project (201508020258, 201400000003-4 and 201400000004-4).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510150, People’s Republic of China

    Z. Ou, Y. Chen, X. Niu, W. He, B. Song, D. Fan & X. Sun

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  1. Z. Ou
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  2. Y. Chen
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  3. X. Niu
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Correspondence to X. Sun.

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Ou, Z., Chen, Y., Niu, X. et al. High-mobility group box 1 regulates cytoprotective autophagy in a mouse spermatocyte cell line (GC-2spd) exposed to cadmium. Ir J Med Sci 186, 1041–1050 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11845-017-1595-y

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