Mortalin deficiency suppresses fibrosis and induces apoptosis in keloid spheroids

Sci Rep. 2017 Oct 11;7(1):12957. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-13485-y.

Abstract

Mortalin (Mot) is a mitochondrial chaperone of the heat shock protein 70 family and it's pro-proliferative and anti-apoptosis functions could be associated with keloid pathogenesis, and blocking of mortalin and its interaction with p53 might be a potential novel target for the treatment of keloid. Therefore, we generated mortalin-specific small hairpin (sh) RNAs (dE1-RGD/GFP/shMot) and introduced into keloid spheroids for examination of its apoptotic and anti-fibrotic effect. On keloid tissues, mortalin expression was higher than adjacent normal tissues and it's protein expressions were activated keloid fibroblasts (KFs). After primary keloid spheroid were transduced with dE1-RGD/GFP/shMot for knockdown of mortalin, expression of type I, III collagen, fibronectin, and elastin was significantly reduced and transforming growth factor-β1, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinases 1 and 2 (Erk 1/2), and Smad 2/3 complex protein expression were decreased. In addition, increased TUNEL activities and cytochrome C were observed. Further, for examine of mortalin and p53 interaction, we performed immunofluorescence analysis. Knockdown of mortalin relocated p53 to the cell nucleus in primary keloid spheroids by dE1-RGD/GFP/shMot transduction. These results support the utility of knockdown of mortalin to induce apoptosis and reduce ECMs expression in keloid spheroid, which may be highly beneficial in treating keloids.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adenoviridae / metabolism
  • Apoptosis
  • Cell Nucleus / metabolism
  • Collagen Type I / metabolism
  • Collagen Type III / metabolism
  • Elastin / metabolism
  • ErbB Receptors / metabolism
  • Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / metabolism
  • Fibroblasts / metabolism
  • Fibroblasts / pathology
  • Fibronectins / metabolism
  • Fibrosis
  • HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins / deficiency*
  • HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Keloid / pathology*
  • Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen / metabolism
  • Protein Binding
  • RNA, Small Interfering / metabolism
  • Spheroids, Cellular / pathology*
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta / metabolism
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / metabolism

Substances

  • Collagen Type I
  • Collagen Type III
  • Fibronectins
  • HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins
  • Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen
  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53
  • mortalin
  • Elastin
  • ErbB Receptors
  • Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases