Home > Browse Issues > Vol.38 No.9
The Role of Autophagy in the Cold-Stress Response in HeLa Cells
Hu Chunlan1,2, Chen Liangbiao1,2, Hu Chengfeng1,2, Han Bingshe1,2*
1College of Fisheries and Life Sciences, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China;
2Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
2Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
Abstract: Although it has been reported that autophagy is required for organisms surviving various unfavorable environmental conditions， the detailed role of autophagy under cold stress is still unclear. In this study， we investigated the role of autophagy under cold stress in HeLa cells (human cervical adenocarcinoma cells). A putative autophagosome marker EGFP-LC3 (enhanced green fluorescent protein-microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B-light chain 3) was used to monitor the process of autophagy in HeLa cells cultured at 37 °C (control) or cold stress conditions (10， 8， 28 °C). The results showed that cold stress caused autophagy in HeLa cells in time- and temperaturedependent manners: substantial autophagosome accumulation was observed during 3-6 h at 10 °C， while the most significant autophagy was detected after 3 d at 18°C， and only very low level of autophagosome formation was observed at 28 °C. Further study showed that HeLa cells underwent decreased cell viability following the turnover of autophagosome，and Bafilomycin A1 treatment enhanced cold stress-induced decrease of cell viability， indicating a protective role of autophagy in HeLa cells against cold stress. Bafilomycin A1 treatment also enhanced cold stress-induced production of intracellular production of reactive oxygen species (ROS)， indicating the involvement of ROS in the protective function of autophagy under cold stress. Our data suggested the essential role of autophagy in HeLa cells under cold stress.
CN
EN