Cystatin C induces apoptosis and tyrosine hydroxylase gene expression through JNK-dependent pathway in neuronal cells

Cystatin C (CysC), an endogenous cysteine protease inhibitor, has been implicated in the apoptosis and differentiation processes of neuronal cells. In this study, we have investigated the pathway involved in the process. A human neuronal hybridoma cell line (A1 cell) was treated with CysC in both undifferentiated and retinoic acid (RA)-induced differentiated conditions, which decreased overall process length in both conditions. Also, CysC increased apoptotic cell number time-dependently, as revealed by TUNEL assay. Western blot analysis demonstrated that in differentiated A1 cells, CysC treatment decreased Bcl-2 and increased active caspase-9 protein level time-dependently. Immunocytochemistry results revealed that, CysC treatment significantly increased active form of Bax expressing cell number, which co-localized with mitochondria. Mitogen activated protein (MAP) kinase inhibition experiments showed that Bax mRNA induction and Bcl-2 mRNA inhibition by CysC treatment were c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK)-dependent. After RA-induced differentiation, choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) and neurofilament (NF) mRNA levels were increased in A1 cells. CysC treatment inhibited NF mRNA level in both undifferentiated and RA-differentiated, and increased TH mRNA in differentiated A1 neurons. Analysis of signal transduction pathway demonstrated that TH gene induction was also JNK-dependent. Thus, our results demonstrated the significance of JNK-dependent pathways on CysC-induced apoptosis and TH gene expression in neuronal cells, which might be an important target in the management of CysC dependent neurodegenerative processes.

► CysC treatment increased the protein level of cleaved active caspase 9.
► CysC-induced Bax mRNA level was decreased by JNK inhibitor.
► CysC increased active form of Bax expressing cell number, which co-localized with mitochondria.
► CysC treatment increased TH mRNA expression.
► JNK inhibitor inhibited the effects of CysC induced TH mRNA expression.