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  • Melatonin activates ABCA1 via the BiP/NRF1 pathway to suppress high-cholesterol-induced apoptosis of mesenchymal stem cells.

Melatonin activates ABCA1 via the BiP/NRF1 pathway to suppress high-cholesterol-induced apoptosis of mesenchymal stem cells.

Stem cell research & therapy (2021-02-07)
Jun Sung Kim, Young Hyun Jung, Hyun Jik Lee, Chang Woo Chae, Gee Euhn Choi, Jae Ryong Lim, Seo Yihl Kim, Joo Eun Lee, Ho Jae Han
ABSTRACT

Retarded wound healing in patients with obesity contributes to a risk of complications associated with vascular insufficiency and oxidative stress. The high cholesterol levels of patients with obesity are associated with apoptosis of engrafted umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells (UCB-MSCs). Melatonin contributes to the prevention of cholesterol accumulation in patients with obesity via a mechanism that is poorly understood. We therefore investigated the regulatory mechanism of melatonin in cholesterol-induced apoptosis. The protective effects of melatonin on cholesterol-induced apoptosis were investigated in UCB-MSCs. We used a mouse model of induced obesity to show that melatonin treatment restored the survival rate of transplanted UCB-MSCs and their wound-healing capacity. The mean values of the treatment groups were compared with those of the control group using Student's t test, and differences among three or more groups were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance with Dunnett's multiple comparison test. Melatonin treatment increased the expression of ATP-binding cassette subfamily A member 1 (ABCA1), which reduced cholesterol accumulation and cholesterol-induced apoptosis. The mouse skin wound healing model showed that melatonin treatment restored the survival rate of transplanted UCB-MSCs and the wound-healing capacity of obese mice. Melatonin inhibited the expression of binding immunoglobulin protein (BiP) through the regulation of MT2/Sp1-dependent microRNA-597-5p. Melatonin decreased the co-localization of BiP with nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 1 (NRF1), which resulted in increased ABCA1 expression. Melatonin induced the efflux of intracellular cholesterol through ABCA1 to decrease apoptosis of UCB-MSCs via an MT2-dependent BiP/NRF1 pathway.

MATERIALS
Product Number
Brand
Product Description

Sigma-Aldrich
Cholesterol-Water Soluble, powder, BioReagent, suitable for cell culture
Sigma-Aldrich
Melatonin, powder, ≥98% (TLC)
Sigma-Aldrich
4-P-PDOT, ≥98% (HPLC)
Sigma-Aldrich
Trypan Blue, powder, BioReagent, suitable for cell culture
Sigma-Aldrich
VER-155008, ≥98% (HPLC)