Hypericin-mediated sonodynamic therapy induces autophagy and decreases lipids in THP-1 macrophage by promoting ROS-dependent nuclear translocation of TFEB

Cell Death Dis. 2016 Dec 22;7(12):e2527. doi: 10.1038/cddis.2016.433.

Abstract

Lipid catabolism disorder is the primary cause of atherosclerosis. Transcription factor EB (TFEB) prevents atherosclerosis by activating macrophage autophagy to promote lipid degradation. Hypericin-mediated sonodynamic therapy (HY-SDT) has been proved non-invasively inducing THP-1-derived macrophage apoptosis; however, it is unknown whether macrophage autophagy could be triggered by HY-SDT to influence cellular lipid catabolism via regulating TFEB. Here, we report that HY-SDT resulted in the time-dependent THP-1-derived macrophage autophagy activation through AMPK/AKT/mTOR pathway. Besides, TFEB nuclear translocation in macrophage was triggered by HY-SDT to promote autophagy activation and lysosome regeneration which enhanced lipid degradation in response to atherogenic lipid stressors. Moreover, following HY-SDT, the ABCA1 expression level was increased to promote lipid efflux in macrophage, and the expression levels of CD36 and SR-A were decreased to inhibit lipid uptake, both of which were prevented by TFEB knockdown. These results indicated that TFEB nuclear translocation activated by HY-SDT was not only the key regulator of autophagy activation and lysosome regeneration in macrophage to promote lipolysis, but also had a crucial role in reverse cholesterol transporters to decrease lipid uptake and increase lipid efflux. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) were adequately generated in macrophage by HY-SDT. Further, ROS scavenger N-acetyl-l-cysteine abolished HY-SDT-induced TFEB nuclear translocation and autophagy activation, implying that ROS were the primary upstream factors responsible for these effects during HY-SDT. In summary, our data indicate that HY-SDT decreases lipid content in macrophage by promoting ROS-dependent nuclear translocation of TFEB to influence consequent autophagy activation and cholesterol transporters. Thus, HY-SDT may be beneficial for atherosclerosis via TFEB regulation to ameliorate lipid overload in atherosclerotic plaques.

MeSH terms

  • ATP Binding Cassette Transporter 1 / metabolism
  • Adenylate Kinase / metabolism
  • Anthracenes
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Autophagy / drug effects*
  • Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors / metabolism*
  • CD36 Antigens / metabolism
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Nucleus / drug effects
  • Cell Nucleus / metabolism
  • Cytoprotection / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Lipid Metabolism / drug effects
  • Lipids / chemistry*
  • Lysosomes / drug effects
  • Lysosomes / metabolism
  • Macrophages / cytology*
  • Macrophages / drug effects
  • Macrophages / metabolism*
  • Macrophages / ultrastructure
  • Perylene / analogs & derivatives*
  • Perylene / pharmacology
  • Protein Transport / drug effects
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / metabolism
  • Reactive Oxygen Species / metabolism*
  • Scavenger Receptors, Class A / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects
  • TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases / metabolism
  • Ultrasonics*

Substances

  • ABCA1 protein, human
  • ATP Binding Cassette Transporter 1
  • Anthracenes
  • Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors
  • CD36 Antigens
  • Lipids
  • Reactive Oxygen Species
  • Scavenger Receptors, Class A
  • TFEB protein, human
  • Perylene
  • hypericin
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt
  • TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases
  • Adenylate Kinase