2. Academic Validation
  3. The epigenetic regulator BRD4 is involved in cadmium-triggered inflammatory response in rat kidney

The epigenetic regulator BRD4 is involved in cadmium-triggered inflammatory response in rat kidney

  • Ecotoxicol Environ Saf. 2021 Aug 13;224:112620. doi: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2021.112620.
Zhonggui Gong 1,  Gang Liu 1,  Wenjing Liu 1,  Hui Zou 1,  Ruilong Song 1,  Hongyan Zhao 1,  Yan Yuan 1,  Jianhong Gu 1,  Jianchun Bian 1,  Jiaqiao Zhu 2,  Zongping Liu 3
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225009, PR China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of the Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, PR China; Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225009, PR China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Yangzhou, PR China.
  • 2 College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225009, PR China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of the Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, PR China; Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225009, PR China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Yangzhou, PR China. Electronic address: zhujiaqiao@yzu.edu.cn.
  • 3 College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225009, PR China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of the Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, PR China; Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225009, PR China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Yangzhou, PR China. Electronic address: liuzongping@yzu.edu.cn.
PMID: 34392152 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2021.112620
Abstract

Cadmium (Cd) has been described as a potential inflammatory inducer, while increasing evidence shows that inappropriate inflammation is a contributing factor to kidney injury. Hence, research on Cd-triggered inflammatory response is of great significance for elucidating the mechanism of Cd-induced nephrotoxicity. Bromodomain-containing 4 (BRD4) is an important epigenetic regulator involved in the development of many inflammatory diseases, but its regulatory roles in Cd-triggered inflammatory response remain to be clarified. Here, we found that treatment with Cd in Sprague-Dawley rats (2 mg/kg bw, i.p., 5 consecutive days) and in rat kidney cell line (NRK-52E, 0-10 μM, 12 h) induced the transcription of inflammatory cytokines, which could be reduced by JQ1 (BRD4 Inhibitor, 25 mg/kg bw, i.p., 3 consecutive days in vivo; 0.5 μM, 12 h in vitro) or BRD4 small interfering RNA (siRNA, in vitro), suggesting that BRD4 participates in Cd-triggered inflammatory response. Next, our study clarified the roles of BRD4 in Cd-triggered inflammatory response. The inhibition of BRD4 decreased Cd-promoted NF-κB nuclear translocation and activation in vivo and in vitro. Cd increased the acetylation level of RelA K310 and enhanced BRD4 binding to acetylated NF-κB RelA in vivo and in vitro, which were abrogated by inhibiting BRD4. In summary, our study suggests that BRD4 is involved in Cd-triggered transcription of inflammatory cytokines by mediating the activation of NF-κB signaling pathway and increasing itself binding to acetylated NF-κB RelA in rat kidney, therefore, BRD4 could be a potential therapeutic target for Cd-induced renal diseases.

Keywords

BRD4; Cadmium; Inflammatory cytokines; JQ1; Kidney; NF-κB.

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