Low concentration of arsenic could induce caspase-3 mediated head kidney macrophage apoptosis with JNK-p38 activation in Clarias batrachus

Journal Article · Tue Dec 15 00:00:00 EST 2009 · Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.taap.2009.09.007· OSTI ID:21344816

Datta, Soma ^[1]; Mazumder, Shibnath ^[1]; Ghosh, Debabrata; Dey, Saibal ^[2]; Bhattacharya, Shelley ^[3]

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1. Immunobiology Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, Visva-Bharati University, Santiniketan 731 235 (India)
2. Department of Biochemistry, Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814 (United States)
3. Environmental Toxicology Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, Visva-Bharati University, Santiniketan 731 235 (India)

We had earlier demonstrated that chronic exposure (30 days) to micro-molar concentration (0.50 muM) of arsenic induced head kidney macrophage (HKM) death in Clarias batrachus. The purpose of the present study is to characterize the nature of HKM death induced by arsenic and elucidate the signal transduction pathways involved in the process. Arsenic-induced HKM death was apoptotic in nature as evident from DNA gel, Annexin V-propidium iodide, Hoechst 33342 staining and TdT-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assays. Inhibitor studies and immunoblot analyses further demonstrated that arsenic-induced HKM apoptosis involved activation of caspase-3 and cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase, a well-characterized caspase-3 substrate. Preincubation with antioxidants N-acetyl-cysteine or dimethyl sulfoxide significantly lowered reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in arsenic-treated HKM and prevented caspase activation, malondialdehyde formation and HKM apoptosis. Arsenic induced membrane translocation of the NADPH oxidase subunit p47{sup phox}. Preincubation with apocynin and diphenyleneiodonium chloride, both selective inhibitors of NADPH oxidases, prevented p47{sup phox} translocation, ROS production and HKM death. Exposure of HKM to arsenic induced the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase family (MAPK) proteins including c-Jun NH{sub 2}-terminal protein kinase (JNK) and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38). Preincubation of HKM with p38 inhibitor SB203580 and JNK inhibitor SP600125 protected the HKM against arsenic-induced apoptosis. We conclude that exposure to micro-molar concentration of arsenic induces ROS generation through the activation of NADPH oxidases, which in turn causes caspase-3 mediated HKM apoptosis. In addition, the study also indicates a role of p38-JNK pathway in arsenic-induced HKM apoptosis in C. batrachus.

• OSTI ID: 21344816
• Journal Information: Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, Vol. 241, Issue 3; Other Information: DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2009.09.007; PII: S0041-008X(09)00396-2; Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; ISSN 0041-008X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES
ANTIOXIDANTS
APOPTOSIS
ARSENIC
CHRONIC EXPOSURE
DEATH
DMSO
DNA
IODIDES
KIDNEYS
MACROPHAGES
OXIDASES
TOXICITY
TRANSLOCATION
ANIMAL CELLS
BODY
CONNECTIVE TISSUE CELLS
ELEMENTS
ENZYMES
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
IODINE COMPOUNDS
NUCLEIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC SULFUR COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
OXIDOREDUCTASES
PHAGOCYTES
PROTEINS
SEMIMETALS
SOMATIC CELLS
SULFOXIDES