Acetylcholine inhibits long-term hypoxia-induced apoptosis by suppressing the oxidative stress-mediated MAPKs activation as well as regulation of Bcl-2, c-IAPs, and caspase-3 in mouse embryonic stem cells.
This study examined the effect of acetylcholine (ACh) on the hypoxia-induced apoptosis of mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells. Hypoxia (60 h) decreased both the cell viability and level of [3H] thymidine incorporation, which were prevented by a pretreatment with ACh. However, the atropine (ACh receptor [AChR] inhibitor) treatment blocked the protective effect of ACh. Hypoxia (90 min) increased the intracellular level of reactive oxygen species (ROS). On the other hand, ACh inhibited the hypoxia-induced increase in ROS, which was blocked by an atropine treatment. Subsequently, the hypoxia-induced ROS increased the level of p38 mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) and Jun-N-terminal kinase (JNK) phosphorylation, which were inhibited by the ACh pretreatment. Moreover, hypoxic exposure (90 min) increased the level of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappa B) phosphorylation, which was blocked by a pretreatment with SB 203580 (p38 MAPK inhibitor) or SP 600125 (JNK inhibitor). However, hypoxia (60 h) decreased the protein levels of Bcl-2 and c-IAPs (cellular inhibitor of apoptosis proteins) but increased the level of caspase-3 activation. All these effects were inhibited by a pretreatment with ACh. In conclusion, ACh prevented the hypoxia-induced apoptosis of mouse ES cells by inhibiting the ROS-mediated p38 MAPK and JNK activation as well as the regulation of Bcl-2, c-IAPs, and caspase-3.
Kim
Min Hee
MH
Department of Rehabilitation Science, Graduate school of Daegu University, Daegu 705-714, Korea.
Kim
Mi Ok
MO
Heo
Jung Sun
JS
Kim
Jin Sang
JS
Han
Ho Jae
HJ
D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D015687:Cell Hypoxia; D018678:Cholinergic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D000097782:NF-kappaB-Inducing Kinase
D000109:Acetylcholine; D053148:Caspase 3; D018678:Cholinergic Agents; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D000097782:NF-kappaB-Inducing Kinase; C052617:Bcl2 protein, mouse