Energy handling in renal tubular epithelial cells of the hamster, a native hibernator, under warm anoxia or reoxygenation

Factors that May Protect the Native Hibernator Syrian Hamster Renal Tubular Epithelial Cells from Ferroptosis Due to Warm Anoxia-Reoxygenation

Warm anoxia-reoxygenation induces ferroptotic cell death in mouse proximal renal tubular epithelial cells (RPTECs), whereas RPTECs of the native hibernator Syrian hamster resist cell death. Clarifying how hamster cells escape ferroptosis may reveal new molecular targets for preventing or ameliorating ischemia-reperfusion-induced human diseases or expanding the survival of organ transplants. Mouse or hamster RPTECs were subjected to anoxia and subsequent reoxygenation. Cell death was assessed with the lactated dehydrogenase (LDH) release assay and lipid peroxidation by measuring cellular malondialdehyde (MDA) fluorometrically. The effect of the ferroptosis inhibitor α-tocopherol on cell survival was assessed by the 2,3-bis (2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl)-5-[(phenylamino) carbonyl]-2H-tetrazolium hydroxide (XTT) assay. The expression of the critical ferroptotic elements cystine-glutamate antiporter (xCT), ferritin, and glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) was assessed by Western blot. Contrary to mouse RPTECs, hamster RPTECs resisted anoxia-reoxygenation-induced cell death and lipid peroxidation. In mouse RPTECs, α-tocopherol increased cell survival. Anoxia increased the levels of xCT, ferritin, and GPX4 in both cell types. During reoxygenation, at which reactive oxygen species overproduction occurs, xCT and ferritin decreased, whereas GPX4 increased in mouse RPTECs. In hamster RPTECs, reoxygenation raised xCT and ferritin, but lowered GPX4. Hamster RPTECs resist lipid peroxidation-induced cell death. From the three main evaluated components of the ferroptotic pathway, the increased expression of xCT and ferritin may contribute to the resistance of the hamster RPTECs to warm anoxia-reoxygenation.

Cell Death Patterns Due to Warm Ischemia or Reperfusion in Renal Tubular Epithelial Cells Originating from Human, Mouse, or the Native Hibernator Hamster

Ischemia–reperfusion injury contributes to the pathogenesis of many diseases, with acute kidney injury included. Hibernating mammals survive prolonged bouts of deep torpor with a dramatic drop in blood pressure, heart, and breathing rates, interspersed with short periods of arousal and, consequently, ischemia–reperfusion injury. Clarifying the differences under warm anoxia or reoxygenation between human cells and cells from a native hibernator may reveal interventions for rendering human cells resistant to ischemia–reperfusion injury. Human and hamster renal proximal tubular epithelial cells (RPTECs) were cultured under warm anoxia or reoxygenation. Mouse RPTECs were used as a phylogenetic control for hamster cells. Cell death was assessed by both cell imaging and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release assay, apoptosis by cleaved caspase-3, autophagy by microtubule-associated protein 1-light chain 3 B II (LC3B-II) to LC3B-I ratio, necroptosis by phosphorylated mixed-lineage kinase domain-like pseudokinase, reactive oxygen species (ROS) fluorometrically, and lipid peroxidation, the end-point of ferroptosis, by malondialdehyde. Human cells died after short periods of warm anoxia or reoxygenation, whereas hamster cells were extremely resistant. In human cells, apoptosis contributed to cell death under both anoxia and reoxygenation. Although under reoxygenation, ROS increased in both human and hamster RPTECs, lipid peroxidation-induced cell death was detected only in human cells. Autophagy was observed only in human cells under both conditions. Necroptosis was not detected in any of the evaluated cells. Clarifying the ways that are responsible for hamster RPTECs escaping from apoptosis and lipid peroxidation-induced cell death may reveal interventions for preventing ischemia–reperfusion-induced acute kidney injury in humans.