siRNA-mediated knockdown of CiGRP78 gene expression leads cell susceptibility to heavy metal cytotoxicity

• Heavy metal-induced cytotoxicity was analyzed in CIK cell culture systems.
• GRP78 is significantly increased in CIK cells following heavy metal stress.
• Knockdown of GRP78 leads fish cell susceptibility to heavy metal cytotoxicity.

Heavy metal ion is one of the critical environmental pollutants accumulated in living organisms and causes toxic or carcinogenic effects once passed threshold levels. As an important member of Hsp70 (heat shock protein 70) family, the 78-kDa glucose-regulated protein (GRP78) can enhance cell survival rates remarkably under thermal stress. Recent studies also demonstrated that the expression of GRP78 enhances the cell survival under heavy metal stress. In this study, three most representative heavy metal ions, Pb2 +, Hg2 + and Cd2 +, were used to stimulate Ctenopharyngodon idella kidney (CIK) cells. The results showed that cell viability under Pb2 +, Hg2 + and Cd2 + stress decreased significantly. The longer and the greater the concentrations of stimulation from heavy metal ions, the higher the rate of cell death was observed. Among them, Hg2 + is the most hazardous to cells. Under the same stress condition, Hg2 + resulted in 50% of cell death, Cd2 + (or Pb2 +) led to 45% (or 35%) of cell death, respectively. Western immunoblotting indicated that C. idella GRP78 (CiGRP78) protein expression level was enhanced obviously in CIK cells under Pb2 +, Hg2 + and Cd2 + stress, meaning CiGRP78 is involved in heavy metal cytotoxicity. To further study the role of CiGRP78 in cytoprotection, we designed the siRNA against CiGRP78 (from nucleotides + 788 to + 806) and transfected it into CIK cells to silence endogenous CiGRP78. The viability rate of CIK cells transfected with or without siRNA incubated with HgCl2 for 12 h showed a significant decrease from 50% to 21%. Our results showed that CiGRP78 protects cells against heavy metal stimuli to some extent.