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LL-37-induced caspase-independent apoptosis is associated with plasma membrane permeabilization in human osteoblast-like cells

Bankell, Elisabeth LU ; Dahl, Sara LU orcid ; Gidlöf, Olof LU ; Svensson, Daniel LU and Nilsson, Bengt Olof LU orcid (2021) In Peptides 135.
Abstract

The host defense peptide LL-37 is active against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, but it has also been shown to reduce human host cell viability. However, the mechanisms behind LL-37-induced human host cell cytotoxicity are not yet fully understood. Here, we assess if LL-37-evoked attenuation of human osteoblast-like MG63 cell viability is associated with apoptosis, and if the underlying mechanism may involve LL-37-induced plasma membrane permeabilization. MG63 cell viability and plasma membrane permeabilization were investigated by using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) method and by measuring lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release, respectively. Apoptosis was assessed by the terminal... (More)

The host defense peptide LL-37 is active against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, but it has also been shown to reduce human host cell viability. However, the mechanisms behind LL-37-induced human host cell cytotoxicity are not yet fully understood. Here, we assess if LL-37-evoked attenuation of human osteoblast-like MG63 cell viability is associated with apoptosis, and if the underlying mechanism may involve LL-37-induced plasma membrane permeabilization. MG63 cell viability and plasma membrane permeabilization were investigated by using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) method and by measuring lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release, respectively. Apoptosis was assessed by the terminal deoxynucleotidyl dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay and Annexin V flow cytometry, and caspase-3 and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) cleavage were determined by Western blot. LL-37 (4 and 10 μM) reduced both cell number and cell viability, and these effects were associated with a pro-apoptotic effect demonstrated by positive TUNEL staining and Annexin V flow cytometry. LL-37-induced apoptosis was not coupled to either caspase-3 or PARP cleavage, suggesting that LL-37 causes caspase-independent apoptosis in MG63 cells. Both LL-37 and the well-known plasma membrane permeabilizer Triton X-100 reduced cell viability and stimulated LDH release. Triton X-100-treated cells showed positive TUNEL staining, and the detergent accumulated cells in late apoptosis/necrosis. Similar to LL-37, Triton X-100 caused no PARP cleavage. We conclude that LL-37 promotes caspase-independent apoptosis, and that this effect seems coupled to plasma membrane permeabilization in human MG63 cells.

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author
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Antimicrobial peptides (AMP), Apoptosis, Cathelicidin, Cytotoxicity, Innate immunity
in
Peptides
volume
135
article number
170432
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:85095782621
  • pmid:33129893
ISSN
0196-9781
DOI
10.1016/j.peptides.2020.170432
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
25394ad3-0846-4401-8783-0168e123f308
date added to LUP
2020-12-08 13:07:14
date last changed
2024-06-13 01:18:19
@article{25394ad3-0846-4401-8783-0168e123f308,
  abstract     = {{<p>The host defense peptide LL-37 is active against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, but it has also been shown to reduce human host cell viability. However, the mechanisms behind LL-37-induced human host cell cytotoxicity are not yet fully understood. Here, we assess if LL-37-evoked attenuation of human osteoblast-like MG63 cell viability is associated with apoptosis, and if the underlying mechanism may involve LL-37-induced plasma membrane permeabilization. MG63 cell viability and plasma membrane permeabilization were investigated by using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) method and by measuring lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release, respectively. Apoptosis was assessed by the terminal deoxynucleotidyl dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay and Annexin V flow cytometry, and caspase-3 and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) cleavage were determined by Western blot. LL-37 (4 and 10 μM) reduced both cell number and cell viability, and these effects were associated with a pro-apoptotic effect demonstrated by positive TUNEL staining and Annexin V flow cytometry. LL-37-induced apoptosis was not coupled to either caspase-3 or PARP cleavage, suggesting that LL-37 causes caspase-independent apoptosis in MG63 cells. Both LL-37 and the well-known plasma membrane permeabilizer Triton X-100 reduced cell viability and stimulated LDH release. Triton X-100-treated cells showed positive TUNEL staining, and the detergent accumulated cells in late apoptosis/necrosis. Similar to LL-37, Triton X-100 caused no PARP cleavage. We conclude that LL-37 promotes caspase-independent apoptosis, and that this effect seems coupled to plasma membrane permeabilization in human MG63 cells.</p>}},
  author       = {{Bankell, Elisabeth and Dahl, Sara and Gidlöf, Olof and Svensson, Daniel and Nilsson, Bengt Olof}},
  issn         = {{0196-9781}},
  keywords     = {{Antimicrobial peptides (AMP); Apoptosis; Cathelicidin; Cytotoxicity; Innate immunity}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Peptides}},
  title        = {{LL-37-induced caspase-independent apoptosis is associated with plasma membrane permeabilization in human osteoblast-like cells}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.peptides.2020.170432}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.peptides.2020.170432}},
  volume       = {{135}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}