Copper induced cytosolic escape of mitochondrial DNA and activation of cGAS-STING-NLRP3 pathway-dependent pyroptosis in C8-D1A cells

Copper, a vital mineral nutrient, possesses redox qualities that make it both beneficial and toxic to organisms. Excessive environmental copper exposure can result in neurological damage and cognitive decline in humans. Astrocytes, the predominant glial cells in the brain, are particularly vulnerabl...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Wei Shi, Qian Zhou, Lu Lu, Ying Zhang, Hu Zhang, Yuepu Pu, Lihong Yin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-10-01
Series:Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651324011618
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850264269217595392
author Wei Shi
Qian Zhou
Lu Lu
Ying Zhang
Hu Zhang
Yuepu Pu
Lihong Yin
author_facet Wei Shi
Qian Zhou
Lu Lu
Ying Zhang
Hu Zhang
Yuepu Pu
Lihong Yin
author_sort Wei Shi
collection DOAJ
description Copper, a vital mineral nutrient, possesses redox qualities that make it both beneficial and toxic to organisms. Excessive environmental copper exposure can result in neurological damage and cognitive decline in humans. Astrocytes, the predominant glial cells in the brain, are particularly vulnerable to pollutants, but the mechanism of copper-induced damage to astrocytes remains elusive. The aim of this study was to determine the role of the cyclic GMP-AMP synthase-stimulator of interferon genes (cGAS-STING) pathway in initiating NLRP3 inflammasome-induced astrocyte pyroptosis and chronic inflammation under conditions of copper overload. Our findings indicated that copper exposure elevated mitochondrial ROS (mtROS) levels, resulting in mitochondrial damage in astrocytes. This damage caused the release of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) into the cytoplasm, which subsequently activated the cGAS-STING pathway. This activation resulted in interactions between STING and NLRP3 proteins, facilitating the assembly of the NLRP3 inflammasome and inducing pyroptosis. Furthermore, depletion of mtROS mitigated copper-induced mitochondrial damage in astrocytes and reduced mtDNA leakage. Pharmacological inhibition of STING or STING transfection further reversed copper-induced pyroptosis and the inflammatory response. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that the leakage of mtDNA into the cytoplasm and the subsequent activation of the cGAS-STING-NLRP3 pathway may be potential mechanisms underlying copper-induced pyroptosis in astrocytes. These findings provided new insights into the toxicity of copper.
format Article
id doaj-art-72eaedcc42e743f7a7ae7730ef7f6ee2
institution OA Journals
issn 0147-6513
language English
publishDate 2024-10-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety
spelling doaj-art-72eaedcc42e743f7a7ae7730ef7f6ee22025-08-20T01:54:45ZengElsevierEcotoxicology and Environmental Safety0147-65132024-10-0128511708510.1016/j.ecoenv.2024.117085Copper induced cytosolic escape of mitochondrial DNA and activation of cGAS-STING-NLRP3 pathway-dependent pyroptosis in C8-D1A cellsWei Shi0Qian Zhou1Lu Lu2Ying Zhang3Hu Zhang4Yuepu Pu5Lihong Yin6School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210009, China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education of China, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210009, ChinaSchool of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210009, China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education of China, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210009, ChinaSchool of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210009, China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education of China, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210009, ChinaSchool of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210009, China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education of China, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210009, ChinaSchool of Public Health, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225000, ChinaSchool of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210009, China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education of China, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210009, ChinaSchool of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210009, China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education of China, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210009, China; Correspondence to: School of Public Health, Southeast University, 87 Dingjiaqiao Street, Nanjing 210009, China.Copper, a vital mineral nutrient, possesses redox qualities that make it both beneficial and toxic to organisms. Excessive environmental copper exposure can result in neurological damage and cognitive decline in humans. Astrocytes, the predominant glial cells in the brain, are particularly vulnerable to pollutants, but the mechanism of copper-induced damage to astrocytes remains elusive. The aim of this study was to determine the role of the cyclic GMP-AMP synthase-stimulator of interferon genes (cGAS-STING) pathway in initiating NLRP3 inflammasome-induced astrocyte pyroptosis and chronic inflammation under conditions of copper overload. Our findings indicated that copper exposure elevated mitochondrial ROS (mtROS) levels, resulting in mitochondrial damage in astrocytes. This damage caused the release of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) into the cytoplasm, which subsequently activated the cGAS-STING pathway. This activation resulted in interactions between STING and NLRP3 proteins, facilitating the assembly of the NLRP3 inflammasome and inducing pyroptosis. Furthermore, depletion of mtROS mitigated copper-induced mitochondrial damage in astrocytes and reduced mtDNA leakage. Pharmacological inhibition of STING or STING transfection further reversed copper-induced pyroptosis and the inflammatory response. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that the leakage of mtDNA into the cytoplasm and the subsequent activation of the cGAS-STING-NLRP3 pathway may be potential mechanisms underlying copper-induced pyroptosis in astrocytes. These findings provided new insights into the toxicity of copper.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651324011618CopperAstrocyteCGAS-STINGPyroptosisNeurotoxicity
spellingShingle Wei Shi
Qian Zhou
Lu Lu
Ying Zhang
Hu Zhang
Yuepu Pu
Lihong Yin
Copper induced cytosolic escape of mitochondrial DNA and activation of cGAS-STING-NLRP3 pathway-dependent pyroptosis in C8-D1A cells
Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety
Copper
Astrocyte
CGAS-STING
Pyroptosis
Neurotoxicity
title Copper induced cytosolic escape of mitochondrial DNA and activation of cGAS-STING-NLRP3 pathway-dependent pyroptosis in C8-D1A cells
title_full Copper induced cytosolic escape of mitochondrial DNA and activation of cGAS-STING-NLRP3 pathway-dependent pyroptosis in C8-D1A cells
title_fullStr Copper induced cytosolic escape of mitochondrial DNA and activation of cGAS-STING-NLRP3 pathway-dependent pyroptosis in C8-D1A cells
title_full_unstemmed Copper induced cytosolic escape of mitochondrial DNA and activation of cGAS-STING-NLRP3 pathway-dependent pyroptosis in C8-D1A cells
title_short Copper induced cytosolic escape of mitochondrial DNA and activation of cGAS-STING-NLRP3 pathway-dependent pyroptosis in C8-D1A cells
title_sort copper induced cytosolic escape of mitochondrial dna and activation of cgas sting nlrp3 pathway dependent pyroptosis in c8 d1a cells
topic Copper
Astrocyte
CGAS-STING
Pyroptosis
Neurotoxicity
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651324011618
work_keys_str_mv AT weishi copperinducedcytosolicescapeofmitochondrialdnaandactivationofcgasstingnlrp3pathwaydependentpyroptosisinc8d1acells
AT qianzhou copperinducedcytosolicescapeofmitochondrialdnaandactivationofcgasstingnlrp3pathwaydependentpyroptosisinc8d1acells
AT lulu copperinducedcytosolicescapeofmitochondrialdnaandactivationofcgasstingnlrp3pathwaydependentpyroptosisinc8d1acells
AT yingzhang copperinducedcytosolicescapeofmitochondrialdnaandactivationofcgasstingnlrp3pathwaydependentpyroptosisinc8d1acells
AT huzhang copperinducedcytosolicescapeofmitochondrialdnaandactivationofcgasstingnlrp3pathwaydependentpyroptosisinc8d1acells
AT yuepupu copperinducedcytosolicescapeofmitochondrialdnaandactivationofcgasstingnlrp3pathwaydependentpyroptosisinc8d1acells
AT lihongyin copperinducedcytosolicescapeofmitochondrialdnaandactivationofcgasstingnlrp3pathwaydependentpyroptosisinc8d1acells