ERBB2-modulated ATG4B and autophagic cell death in human ARPE19 during oxidative stress

PLoS One. 2019 Mar 14;14(3):e0213932. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0213932. eCollection 2019.

Abstract

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is an ocular disease with retinal degeneration. Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) degeneration is mainly caused by long-term oxidative stress. Kinase activity could be either protective or detrimental to cells during oxidative stress; however, few reports have described the role of kinases in oxidative stress. In this study, high-throughput screening of kinome siRNA library revealed that erb-b2 receptor tyrosine-protein kinase 2 (ERBB2) knockdown reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in ARPE-19 cells during oxidative stress. Silencing ERBB2 caused an elevation in microtubule associated protein light chain C3-II (MAP1LC3B-II/I) conversion and sequesterone (SQSTM)1 protein level. ERBB2 deprivation largely caused an increase in autophagy-regulating protease (ATG4B) expression, a protease that negatively recycles MAP1LC3-II at the fusion step between the autophagosome and lysosome, suggesting ERBB2 might modulate ATG4B for autophagy induction in oxidative stress-stimulated ARPE-19 cells. ERBB2 knockdown also caused an accumulation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) and enhanced its transcriptional activity. In addition, ERBB2 ablation or treatment with autophagy inhibitors reduced oxidative-induced cytotoxic effects in ARPE-19 cells. Furthermore, ERBB2 silencing had little or no additive effects in ATG5/7-deficient cells. Taken together, our results suggest that ERBB2 may play an important role in modulating autophagic RPE cell death during oxidative stress, and ERBB2 may be a potential target in AMD prevention.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Autophagic Cell Death / physiology*
  • Autophagy-Related Proteins / metabolism*
  • Cell Line
  • Cysteine Endopeptidases / metabolism*
  • Gene Knockdown Techniques
  • Humans
  • Macular Degeneration / metabolism
  • Macular Degeneration / pathology
  • Models, Biological
  • NF-E2-Related Factor 2 / metabolism
  • Oxidative Stress
  • RNA, Small Interfering / genetics
  • Reactive Oxygen Species / metabolism
  • Receptor, ErbB-2 / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Receptor, ErbB-2 / genetics
  • Receptor, ErbB-2 / metabolism*
  • Retinal Pigment Epithelium / cytology*
  • Retinal Pigment Epithelium / metabolism*

Substances

  • Autophagy-Related Proteins
  • NF-E2-Related Factor 2
  • NFE2L2 protein, human
  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • Reactive Oxygen Species
  • ERBB2 protein, human
  • Receptor, ErbB-2
  • ATG4B protein, human
  • Cysteine Endopeptidases

Grants and funding

This work was supported by Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital (VGHKS105-094) and Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST 106-2314-B-075B-006 and 107-2311-B-214-003).