αB-crystallin suppresses oxidative stress-induced astrocyte apoptosis by inhibiting caspase-3 activation

Joo Hyun Shin, Seung Woo Kim, Chae Moon Lim, Ji Young Jeong, Chun Shu Piao, Ja Kyeong Lee*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

56 Scopus citations

Abstract

αB-crystallin is a member of the small heat shock proteins, which is abundantly expressed in various vertebrate tissues including the central nervous system. In our previous report, we showed αB-crystallin induction in activated astrocytes in the postischemic brain and in H2O2-treated primary astrocyte cultures. To investigate the functional significance of αB-crystallin induction in astrocytes, we generated a stable C6 astroglioma cell line overexpressing αB-crystallin. In these cells, hydrogen peroxide-induced apoptosis was reduced by 60% compared to parent cells. Furthermore, the repression of αB-crystallin expression by αB-crystallin siRNA transfection suppressed this protective effect, indicating that αB-crystallin is responsible for the protection against H2O2-induced apoptosis in C6 astroglioma cells. Similar level of aggravation in H2O2-induced apoptosis was observed in primary astrocyte cultures when αB-crystallin expression was suppressed by αB-crystallin siRNA transfection, confirming the importance of αB-crystallin. In addition, the induction of caspase-3 activity after H2O2 treatment was markedly suppressed in αB-crystallin-overexpressing cells, and immunoprecipitation proved binding between αB-crystallin and partially processed caspase-3 (a p24 intermediate). These results indicate that αB-crystallin confers protection against hydrogen peroxide-induced astrocytes apoptosis in part by inhibiting caspase-3 activation.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)355-361
Number of pages7
JournalNeuroscience Research
Volume64
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 2009

Funding

This work was supported by the Korea Research Foundation Grant funded by the Korean Government (KRF-2005-202-C00283)

Keywords

  • Apoptosis
  • Astrocyte
  • Caspase-3
  • αB-crystallin

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Neuroscience

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