Aims: Scavenger receptor class B type I (SRBI) promotes cell cholesterol efflux and the clearance of plasma cholesterol. Thus, SRBI deficiency causes abnormal cholesterol metabolism and hyperlipidemia. Studies have suggested that ferroptosis is involved in lipotoxicity; however, whether SRBI deficiency could induce ferroptosis remains to be investigated.
Results: We knocked down or knocked out SRBI in renal HK-2 cells and C57BL/6 mice to determine the expression levels of ferroptosis-related regulators. Our results demonstrated that SRBI deficiency upregulates transferrin receptor 1 (TFR1) expression and downregulates ferroportin (FPN) expression, which induces iron overload and subsequent ferroptosis in renal tubular epithelial cells. TFR1 is known to be regulated by hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α). Next, we investigated whether SRBI deletion affected HIF-1α. SRBI deletion upregulated the mRNA and protein expression of HIF-1α and promoted its translocation to the nucleus. To determine whether HIF-1α plays a key role in SRBI-deficiency-induced ferroptosis, we used HIF-1α inhibitor and siHIF-1α in HK-2 cells and found that downregulation of HIF-1α prevented SRBI-silencing-induced TFR1 upregulation and iron overload, and eventually reduced ferroptosis. The underlying mechanism of HIF-1α activation was explored next, and the results showed that SRBI knockout or knockdown may upregulate the expression of HIF-1α and promote HIF-1α translocation from the cytoplasm into the nucleus via the PKC-β/NF-κB signaling pathway.
Innovation and Conclusion: Our study showed, for the first time, that SRBI deficiency induces iron overload and subsequent ferroptosis via the HIF-1α/TFR1 pathway.
Home>SRBI deficiency induces iron overload and ferroptosis in renal tubular epithelial cells via HIF-1α/TFR1 signaling pathway
SRBI deficiency induces iron overload and ferroptosis in renal tubular epithelial cells via HIF-1α/TFR1 signaling pathway
- Impact factors: 7
- Publication: Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology
- Author:Ma Xinhao, Yang Xinran, Zhang Dianqi, Zhang Wenzhen, Wang Xiaoyu, Xie Kuncheng, He Jie, Mei Chugang, Zan Linsen
- DOI citation-doi:10.1186/s40104-022-00820-1
- Date:2023-02-03T00:00:00.000Z