Here, we present a protocol for the determination of intracellular signaling events induced in viable cells by physical interaction with adjacent dead or dying cells. The protocol focuses on signaling events induced by receptor-mediated recognition of the dead cells, as opposed to their phagocytic uptake or release of soluble mediators.
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Method Article
Identification of Intracellular Signaling Events Induced in Viable Cells by Interaction with Neighboring Cells Undergoing Apoptotic Cell Death
* These authors contributed equally
In This Article
Summary
Abstract
Cells dying by apoptosis, also referred to as regulated cell death, acquire multiple new activities that enable them to influence the function of adjacent live cells. Vital activities, such as survival, proliferation, growth, and differentiation, are among the many cellular functions modulated by apoptotic cells. The ability to recognize and respond to apoptotic cells appears to be a universal feature of all cells, regardless of lineage or organ of origination. However, the diversity and complexity of the response to apoptotic cells mandates that great care be taken in dissecting the signaling events and pathways responsible for any particular outcome. In particular, one must distinguish among the multiple mechanisms by which apoptotic cells can influence intracellular signaling pathways within viable responder cells, including: receptor-mediated recognition of the apoptotic cell, release of soluble mediators by the apoptotic cell, and/or engagement of the phagocytic machinery. Here, we provide a protocol for identifying intracellular signaling events that are induced in viable responder cells following their exposure to apoptotic cells. A major advantage of the protocol lies in the attention it pays to dissection of the mechanism by which apoptotic cells modulate signaling events within responding cells. While the protocol is specific for a conditionally immortalized mouse kidney proximal tubular cell line (BU.MPT cells), it is easily adapted to cell lines that are non-epithelial in origin and/or derived from organs other than the kidney. The use of dead cells as a stimulus introduces several unique factors that can hinder the detection of intracellular signaling events. These problems, as well as strategies to minimize or circumvent them, are discussed within the protocol. Application of this protocol should aid our expanding knowledge of the broad influence that dead or dying cells exert on their live neighbors, both in health and in disease.
Introduction
Apoptosis, or regulated cell death1, contributes in an essential manner to the maintenance and development of tissues. Viewed most simply, apoptosis permits aged, damaged, or excess cells to be eliminated without harm to surrounding tissues2,3. The contribution of apoptosis to tissue homeostasis, however, is considerably more dynamic and varied. Cells dying by apoptosis acquire multiple new activities, both secreted and cell-associated, which enable them to influence the function of adjacent live cells4-10. Earlier studies focused on the ability of apoptotic cells to suppress inflammation11-16, but apoptotic cells also modul....
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Protocol
1. Preparations
Note: In this protocol, two or more cell lines, or primary cell cultures, are independently prepared under specific conditions. These preparations include apoptotic cells (Protocol 1), necrotic cells (Protocol 2), and healthy responder cells (Protocol 3). After independent preparation, apoptotic or necrotic cells are added to responder cells and the resulting signal transduction is monitored (Protocols 4, 5, and 6).
- Prepare culture media and reagents
- Prepare 500 mL of culture medium A (for use when growing cells under permissive conditions, see section 1.2) by combining the following: 1x Dulbecco'....
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Results
In Figure 1, we provide a schematic depicting the timing and critical steps involved in the preparation of apoptotic cells (Protocol 1) and necrotic cells (Protocol 2) and the stimulation of responder cells with suspensions of apoptotic and necrotic cells (Protocol 4).
In Figure 2, we provide representative results showing the effect of apoptotic cells on phosphorylation of the two isoforms of t.......
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Discussion
We provide here a protocol for characterizing the intracellular signaling events induced in viable cells following their exposure to cells undergoing apoptosis, or other forms of cell death. The protocol emphasizes the multiple mechanisms by which exposure to apoptotic cells can modulate intracellular signaling pathways within viable responder cells. These mechanisms include: the interaction (via bridging molecules or surface determinants on the dead cell or its shed vesicles and microvesicles, often termed apoptotic bod.......
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Disclosures
The authors declare that they have no competing financial interests.
Acknowledgements
This work was supported, in whole or in part, by institutional funds from Dr. José A. Arruda and the Section of Nephrology, University of Illinois at Chicago (to J. S. L.); and funding from the Department of Medicine of McGill University and the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (to J. R.)
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Materials
| Name | Company | Catalog Number | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cell culture materials | |||
| DMEM, 1x with [4.5 g/L] glucose, ʟ-glutamine & sodium-pyruvate | Mediatech (Manassas, VA) | 10-013-CV | |
| HyClone Fetal Clone II, fetal bovine serum | GE Healthcare (Logan, UT) | SH30066.03 | add 10% (v/v) to the culture medium A |
| Penicillin-Streptomycin-Glutamine, 100x | Life Technologies (Grand Island, NY) | 10378-016 | add 100 units/mL to the culture media A and B |
| γ-Interferon, mouse recombinant, from Escherichia coli | Calbiochem, Millipore (Billerica, MA) | 407303 | add 10 units/mL to the culture medium A |
| Falcon polystyrene tissue-culture treated dishes, non-pyrogenic | Corning (Durham, NC) | 353003 | sterile, 100 mm diameter |
| Falcon polystyrene centrifuge tubes, conical bottom | Corning (Durham, NC) | 352095 | sterile, 15 mL |
| Trypsin-EDTA, 0.05%, Gibco | Fisher (Waltham, MA) | 25300062 | sterile, 100 mL |
| Name | Company | Catalog | Comments |
| Chemicals and inhibitors | |||
| Staurosporine, from Streptomyces sp. | Sigma (St. Louis, MO) | S4400 | use at [1 μg/mL] for 3 h to induce apoptosis |
| Epidermal growth factor (EGF), [1 mg/mL] | Millipore (Billerica, MA) | EA140 | use at 50 nM to stimulate responder cells |
| UltraPure, 0.5 M EDTA, pH 8.0 | Life Technologies (Grand Island, NY) | 15575-038 | use 5 mM to detach adherent cells |
| Trypan blue solution, 0.4% | MP Biomedicals (Santa Ana, CA) | 91691049 | for dead cells staining |
| Paraformaldehyde Solution, 4% in DPBS | Affymetrix (Santa Clara, CA) | 19943 | use 0.4% (v/v) in 1x DPBS for cell fixation |
| Dulbecco's phosphate-buffered saline (DPBS), 1x, Gibco | Life Technologies (Grand Island, NY) | 14040133 | stock solution |
| Dulbecco's phosphate-buffered saline (DPBS), Ca2+- and Mg2+-free, 1x, Gibco | Life Technologies (Grand Island, NY) | 14190367 | stock solution |
| Cytochalasin D, 4 mM in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), from Zygosporium mansonii | Sigma (St. Louis, MO) | C8273 | use at [4 μg/mL] to inhibit phagocytosis |
| Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) | Sigma (St. Louis, MO) | D2650 | solvent for cytochalasin D |
| [header] | |||
| Cell lysis buffer ingredients | |||
| Tris-buffered saline (TBS), 10x, pH 7.4 | BioRad (Hercules, CA) | 1706435 | for cell lysis buffer |
| Sodium pyrophosphate | Sigma-Aldrich (St. Louis, MO) | 221368 | 10 mM for cell lysis buffer |
| Sodium deoxycholate | Sigma-Aldrich (St. Louis, MO) | D6750 | 0.5% w/v for cell lysis buffer |
| Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) | Sigma-Aldrich (St. Louis, MO) | L3771 | 0.1% w/v for cell lysis buffer |
| Glycerol | Sigma-Aldrich (St. Louis, MO) | G5516 | 10% for cell lysis buffer |
| Sodium fluoride | Sigma-Aldrich (St. Louis, MO) | 450022 | 25 mM for cell lysis buffer |
| Complete mini EDTA-free protease inhibitor cocktail tablet | Roche Diagnostics (Indianapolis, IN) | 4693159001 | for cell lysis buffer, 1 tablet per 10 mL of buffer |
| Triton X-100 | Sigma-Aldrich (St. Louis, MO) | T8787 | 10% for cell lysis buffer |
| Dithiothreitol (DTT) | MP Biomedicals (Santa Ana, CA) | 11DTT00005 | 1 mM for cell lysis buffer |
| Phenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride (PMSF) | MP Biomedicals (Santa Ana, CA) | 4800263 | 1 mM for cell lysis buffer |
| Sodium orthovandate | MP Biomedicals (Santa Ana, CA) | 2159664 | 10 mM for cell lysis buffer |
| Name | Company | Catalog | Comments |
| Equipment | |||
| Sorvall T6000B centrifuge | Du Pont (Wilmington, DE) | T6000B | |
| Fisher Tissuemat, water bath | Fisher (Waltham, MA) | ||
| Sonic Dismembrator (sonicator), model 100 | Fisher (Waltham, MA) | ||
| Miscellaneous | |||
| Cell counting chamber, Neubauer | Hawksley (Lancing, Sussex, UK) | AC2000 | |
| Annexin V-FITC Apoptosis Detection Kit II | Millipore (Billerica, MA) | CBA059 | for PI and Annexin V staining to determine the stage of apoptosis |
| Eppendorf microcntrifuge tubes, 1.5 mL | Sigma-Aldrich (St. Louis, MO) | T9661 | |
| Transwell permeable support, 0.4 μm polycarbonate membrane | Corning (Corning, NY) | 3413 | sterile, polystyrene, tissue culture treated |
| Name | Company | Catalog | Comments |
| Antibodies | |||
| Phospho-glycogen synthase kinase-3α/β (GSK-3α/β) (Ser21/9), polyclonal antibody | Cell Signaling Technology | 9331 | rabbit polyclonal antibody |
| Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) monoclonal antobody ( (14C10) ) | Cell Signaling Technology | 2118 | rabbit monoclonal antibody |
References
- Galluzzi, L., et al. Essential versus accessory aspects of cell death: recommendations of the NCCD 2015. Cell Death Differ. 22, 58-73 (2015).
- Wallach, D., Kang, T. -B., Kovalenko, A. Concepts of tissue injury and cell death in i....
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