Nuclear Factor-κB Signaling Mediates Antimony-induced Astrocyte Activation

• Published in: Biomedical and environmental sciences 2021-01, Vol.34 (1), p.29-39
• Main Authors: Zhang, Tao, Zheng, Yu Dan, Jiao, Man, Zhi, Ye, Xu, Shen Ya, Zhu, Piao Yu, Zhao, Xin Yuan, Wu, Qi Yun
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Antimony - toxicity; Astrocytes - drug effects; Astrocytes - metabolism; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Proliferation - drug effects; Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein - genetics; Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein - metabolism; Male; MAP Kinase Kinase Kinases; Mice; Mice, Inbred ICR; NF-kappa B - metabolism; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II - genetics; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II - metabolism; Rats; Signal Transduction - drug effects
• ISSN: 0895-3988; 2214-0190
• DOI: 10.3967/bes2021.005

Antimony (Sb) has recently been identified as a novel nerve poison, although the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying its neurotoxicity remain unclear. This study aimed to assess the effects of the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway on antimony-induced astrocyte activation. Protein expression levels were detected by Western blotting. Immunofluorescence, cytoplasmic and nuclear fractions separation were used to assess the distribution of p65. The expression of protein in brain tissue sections was detected by immunohistochemistry. The levels of mRNAs were detected by Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Antimony exposure triggered astrocyte proliferation and increased the expression of two critical protein markers of reactive astrogliosis, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), indicating that antimony induced astrocyte activation and . Antimony exposure consistently upregulated the expression of inflammatory factors. Moreover, it induced the NF-κB signaling, indicated by increased p65 phosphorylation and translocation to the nucleus. NF-κB inhibition effectively attenuated antimony-induced astrocyte activation. Furthermore, antimony phosphorylated TGF-β-activated kinase 1 (TAK1), while TAK1 inhibition alleviated antimony-induced p65 phosphorylation and subsequent astrocyte activation. Antimony activated astrocytes by activating the NF-κB signaling pathway.