Premium
Trivalent chromium induces autophagy by activating sphingomyelin phosphodiesterase 2 and increasing cellular ceramide levels in renal HK2 cells
Author(s) -
Yang ChengLin,
Chiou ShiowHer,
Tai WeiChun,
Joseph Nithila A.,
Chow KuanChih
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
molecular carcinogenesis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.254
H-Index - 97
eISSN - 1098-2744
pISSN - 0899-1987
DOI - 10.1002/mc.22689
Subject(s) - ceramide , sphingomyelin , autophagy , biology , sphingomyelin phosphodiesterase , microbiology and biotechnology , organelle , lipid signaling , autophagosome , phosphodiesterase , sphingolipid , biochemistry , membrane , enzyme , apoptosis
In this study, we examined the role of autophagy in the initiation of lipid increases in renal epithelial HK2 cells. We found that trivalent chromium [Cr(III)] induced autophagy by activating sphingomyelin phosphodiesterase 2 (SMPD2). SMPD2 increases levels of ceramide and other lipids. Confocal immunofluorescence microscopy showed that signals of ceramide overlapped with LC3, suggesting that ceramide might play an important role in the formation of autophagosome. In conclusion, our data indicate that Cr(III) induces autophagy via structural aberration of organelle membrane, in particular by the increase of lipid compositions in addition to autophagy‐associated proteins.