Open Access

NF-κB signaling maintains the survival of cadmium-exposed human renal glomerular endothelial cells

  • Authors:
    • Hongyan Zhang
    • Liqun Li
    • Yifan Wang
    • Fengyun Dong
    • Xiaocui Chen
    • Fuhong Liu
    • Dongmei Xu
    • Fan Yi
    • Carolyn M. Kapron
    • Ju Liu
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: June 14, 2016     https://doi.org/10.3892/ijmm.2016.2640
  • Pages: 417-422
  • Copyright: © Zhang et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.

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Abstract

The kidney is one of the primary organs targeted by cadmium (Cd), a widely distributed environmental pollutant. The glomerular endothelium is the major component of the glomerular filtration barrier. However, the effects of Cd on glomerular endothelial cells remain largely unknown. For this purpose, we aimed to determine the effects of low dose Cd on the survival of human renal glomerular endothelial cells (HRGECs). Cultured HRGECs were exposed to 4 µM cadmium chloride (CdCl2) and examined at different time-points. We found that Cd activates the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) pathway without inducing the apoptosis of HRGECs. Pre-treating the cells with pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC), a potent NF-κB inhibitor, prior to Cd exposure triggered extensive cell death (73.5%). In addition, Cd activates the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) pathway, and inhibition of the NF-κB pathway significantly elevates Cd-induced JNK phosphorylation in HRGECs (p<0.01). The combination treatment of PDTC and SP600125, a JNK pathway inhibitor, increased the survival of Cd-stimulated HRGECs compared with those cells treated with PDTC alone (p<0.05). Taken together, these findings demonstrate that the NF-κB pathway plays an essential role in maintaining the survival of Cd-exposed HRGECs.
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August-2016
Volume 38 Issue 2

Print ISSN: 1107-3756
Online ISSN:1791-244X

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Spandidos Publications style
Zhang H, Li L, Wang Y, Dong F, Chen X, Liu F, Xu D, Yi F, Kapron CM, Liu J, Liu J, et al: NF-κB signaling maintains the survival of cadmium-exposed human renal glomerular endothelial cells. Int J Mol Med 38: 417-422, 2016
APA
Zhang, H., Li, L., Wang, Y., Dong, F., Chen, X., Liu, F. ... Liu, J. (2016). NF-κB signaling maintains the survival of cadmium-exposed human renal glomerular endothelial cells. International Journal of Molecular Medicine, 38, 417-422. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijmm.2016.2640
MLA
Zhang, H., Li, L., Wang, Y., Dong, F., Chen, X., Liu, F., Xu, D., Yi, F., Kapron, C. M., Liu, J."NF-κB signaling maintains the survival of cadmium-exposed human renal glomerular endothelial cells". International Journal of Molecular Medicine 38.2 (2016): 417-422.
Chicago
Zhang, H., Li, L., Wang, Y., Dong, F., Chen, X., Liu, F., Xu, D., Yi, F., Kapron, C. M., Liu, J."NF-κB signaling maintains the survival of cadmium-exposed human renal glomerular endothelial cells". International Journal of Molecular Medicine 38, no. 2 (2016): 417-422. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijmm.2016.2640