The mTOR activation in response to overload of nutrients and their relationship with apoptosis and endoplasmic reticulum stress in HepG2 cell line

Author(s)

Thiago Matos Ferreira de Araújo

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: Campinas, SP.
• Institution: Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Faculdade de Ciências Médicas
• Defense date: 2014-07-31

Examining board members

Gabriel Forato Anhê; Sisi Marcondes; Marciane Milanski; Alice Cristina Rodrigues; Camilo de Lellis Santos

• Advisor: Gabriel Forato Anhê

Abstract

Obesity is characterized by fat ectopic deposition in liver. This hepatic fat accumulation our non-alcoholic fat liver disease (NAFLD) can have serious consequences such as non-alcoholic hepatitis (NASH), that is a factor to liver cancer. The cell death of hepatocytes is an important event in the development to NAFLD to NASH, all that are caused by excess nutrients and dependent of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. The ER stress is caused by accumulation of unfolded proteins triggers the unfolded protein response (UPR), which mau cause apoptosis. mTOR is basically formed by two complexes: mTOR1 and mTOR2, both are sensitive to nutrients, insulin and rapamycin. The mTOR2/Rictor complex catalyse AKT phosphorylation increasing the insulin pathway. All together, the aim of this study was evaluate the relationship between mTOR, ER stress and apoptosis in liver cells exposed to free fatty acids. We observed that apoptosis caused by palmitate activates ER stress in a manner dependent on time. We din¿t observed changes in phosphorylation of specific target proteins to mTOR1 complex. However, a general phosphorylation of mTOR was stimulated by palmitate. High doses of rapamycin inhibited apoptosis and ER stress caused by palmitate, suggesting the participation of the mTOR2 complex. These results were further confirmed by gene silencing of Rictor. The AKT phospholylation in serine 473 has a transitional character, rising in times that preceding cell death and ER stress, and decreasing concomitantly apoptosis in prolonged times. Inhibition of AKT by AKT inhibitor caused a decrease in apoptosis, ER stress and lipid incorporation in hepatoma cell line. These data suggest that AKT, preferential targets of mTOR2 is required for generation death and UPR. Glucose (33.3mM) generates HepG2 cell death and this is inhibited by low doses on rapamycin, showing possible mTOR1 activity. Otherwise, fructose (4.5mM) also triggers apoptosis of hepatoma cells; its effect is inhibited by higher doses of rapamycin, indicating mTOR2 activity in this process. However, the possibility of different monosaccharide recruit different complexes of mTOR to trigger apoptosis should be further explored (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 10/12501-6 - Investigation of a role for mTOR pathway in ER stress and apoptosis induced by palmitate and high glucose in hepatocytes
• Grantee: Thiago Matos Ferreira de Araujo
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate