[Starvation-induced autophagy in cultured non-small cell lung cancer cells].
OBJECTIVE
To observe autophagy induced by starvation in non-small cell lung cancer A459 and 95D cells.


METHODS
A549 and 95D cells in logarithmic growth in 1640 medium were cultured in Earle's balanced salt solution (EBSS) for 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 h. Autophagosome formation in the cell culture was observed by MDC fluorescent staining, and the expression of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3) and Beclin1 in the cells were detected using Western blotting.


RESULTS
Compared with the control cells, the cells with prolonged starvation showed increased MDC-positive cells and autophagosome formation. The expression of Beclin-1 and the LC3-II/LC3-I ratio also increased as the starvation prolonged, reaching the peak levels at 3 h and 4 h, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Autophagy can be induced by starvation in A549 and 95D cells in correlation with the expression of autophagy-related proteins LC3 and Beclin-1. These cell models of nutritional deficiency-induced autophagy may allow for a better understanding of the role of autophagy in the development of non-small cell lung cancer.
Department of Medical Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University College of Medicine, Xi'an 710061, China. E-mail: qianqianguo@126.com.
Qianqian
Q
Guo
Zhiyan
Z
Liu
Lili
L
Jiang
Tinghua
T
Hu
Dongfan
D
Li
Ying
Y
Liu
Mengjie
M
Liu
Xuan
X
Liang
Kejun
K
Nan
D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D001343:Autophagy; D000071186:Beclin-1; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000473:pathology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D006801:Humans; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*
D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; C491997:BECN1 protein, human; D000071186:Beclin-1; C477012:MAP1LC3A protein, human; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins