Cadmium is classified as a human carcinogen, and its disturbance in zinc homeostasis has been well established. However, its extent as well as molecular mechanisms involved in cadmium carcinogenesis has yet to be fully clarified. To this end, we used the zinc specific probe Zinquin to visualize and to quantitatively evaluate changes in the concentration of labile zinc, in an in vitro model of human hepatic cells (HepG2) exposed to cadmium. A very large increase (+93%) of intracellular labile zinc, displaced by cadmium from the zinc proteome, was measured when HepG2 were exposed to 10 μM cadmium for 24 hrs. Microarray expression profiling showed that in cells, featuring an increase of labile zinc after cadmium exposure, one of the top regulated genes is Snail1 (+3.6), which is included in the adherens junction pathway and linked to cancer. In the same pathway MET, TGF-βR, and two members of the Rho-family GTPase, Rac, and cdc42 all implicated in the loss of adherence features and acquisition of migratory and cancer properties were regulated, as well. The microRNAs analysis showed a downregulation of miR-34a and miR-200a, both implicated in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition. These microRNAs results support the role played by zinc in affecting gene expression at the posttranscriptional level.

Urani, C., Melchioretto, P., Bruschi, M., Fabbri, M., Sacco, M., Gribaldo, L. (2015). Impact of cadmium on intracellular zinc levels in HepG2 cells: Quantitative evaluations and molecular effects. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL, 2015 [10.1155/2015/949514].

Impact of cadmium on intracellular zinc levels in HepG2 cells: Quantitative evaluations and molecular effects

URANI, CHIARA
Primo
;
MELCHIORETTO, PASQUALE
Secondo
;
BRUSCHI, MAURIZIO;
2015

Abstract

Cadmium is classified as a human carcinogen, and its disturbance in zinc homeostasis has been well established. However, its extent as well as molecular mechanisms involved in cadmium carcinogenesis has yet to be fully clarified. To this end, we used the zinc specific probe Zinquin to visualize and to quantitatively evaluate changes in the concentration of labile zinc, in an in vitro model of human hepatic cells (HepG2) exposed to cadmium. A very large increase (+93%) of intracellular labile zinc, displaced by cadmium from the zinc proteome, was measured when HepG2 were exposed to 10 μM cadmium for 24 hrs. Microarray expression profiling showed that in cells, featuring an increase of labile zinc after cadmium exposure, one of the top regulated genes is Snail1 (+3.6), which is included in the adherens junction pathway and linked to cancer. In the same pathway MET, TGF-βR, and two members of the Rho-family GTPase, Rac, and cdc42 all implicated in the loss of adherence features and acquisition of migratory and cancer properties were regulated, as well. The microRNAs analysis showed a downregulation of miR-34a and miR-200a, both implicated in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition. These microRNAs results support the role played by zinc in affecting gene expression at the posttranscriptional level.
Articolo in rivista - Articolo scientifico
cadmium, human carcinogenesis, microRNA, zinc
English
23-giu-2015
2015
2015
949514
open
Urani, C., Melchioretto, P., Bruschi, M., Fabbri, M., Sacco, M., Gribaldo, L. (2015). Impact of cadmium on intracellular zinc levels in HepG2 cells: Quantitative evaluations and molecular effects. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL, 2015 [10.1155/2015/949514].
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/10281/96099
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