关键词:
Bystander cell
Malignant transformation
Proton radiation
Space radiation
TGF-β1
β-arrestin1
摘要:
Objective To investigate the influence of TGF-β1 on the malignant transformation of bystander cells after proton irradiation simulating space radiation, and its underlying mechanism. Methods Normal human bronchial epithelial cells BEAS-2B were exposed to proton irradiation at 0, 0.2, 0.5, and 1.0 Gy to simulate space radiation. Supernatants from cell culture media were collected as a conditioned medium (CM) for treating bystander BEAS-2B cells. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was employed to detect TGF-β1 levels within the CM. The soft agar colony formation assay was performed to assess the rate of malignant transformation of bystander cells. Immunofluorescence and Western blot techniques were utilized to examine the localization of β-arrestin1 in CM-treated bystander cells, with or without the TGF-β1 receptor inhibitor SB525334. The malignant transformation of bystander cells was assessed via soft agar colony formation assay under CM treatment, combined with either a TGF-β1 receptor inhibitor or β-arrestin1 knockdown. Additionally, mRNA and protein levels of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related genes (e. g., E-cadherin, N-cadherin, Fibronectin1, and Vimentin) were analyzed through qRT-PCR and Western blot, respectively. Results Contrasting with the 0 Gy group, the proton irradiation groups exhibited a dose-dependent increase in TGF-β1 secretion after 24 h (t = 3.38, 8.32, 10.96, P < 0.05), and a corresponding rise in the soft agar colony formation rate of CM-treated bystander cells (t = 5.04, 7.20, 10.78, P < 0.05). Immunofluorescence and Western blot results indicated that with escalating doses, CM-treated bystander cells showed increased β-arrestin1 into nuclei (t = 7.57, 7.51, P < 0.05), being stimulated by TGF-β1 and inhibited by SB525334. The SB525334 application or β-arrestin1 knockdown significantly inhibited the malignant transformation and EMT induced by proton irradiation in bystander cells. This inhibition further reduced the sof