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Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol 287: G286-G298, 2004; doi:10.1152/ajpgi.00350.2003
0193-1857/04 $5.00
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INFLAMMATION/IMMUNITY/MEDIATORS

Leukocyte elastase induces epithelial apoptosis: role of mitochondial permeability changes and Akt

Hedy H. Ginzberg,1 Patrick T. Shannon,2 Tomoko Suzuki,1,3 Ouyang Hong,1,3 Eric Vachon,1,3 Theo Moraes,1 Maria Teresa Herrera Abreu,1,3 Vera Cherepanov,1,3 Xiaomin Wang,1 Chung-Wai Chow,1,3 and Gregory P. Downey1,3

1Division of Respirology, Department of Medicine, The University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 1A8; 2Department of Pathobiology and Laboratory Medicine and 3Toronto General Hospital Research Institute of the University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 2C4

Submitted 13 August 2003 ; accepted in final form 2 March 2004

During acute inflammation, neutrophil-mediated injury to epithelium may lead to disruption of epithelial function, including the induction of epithelial apoptosis. Herein, we report the effects of neutrophil transmigration and of purified leukocyte elastase on epithelial cell survival. Neutrophil transmigration induced apoptosis of epithelial cells [control monolayers: 5 ± 1 cells/25 high-power fields (HPF) vs. neutrophil-treated monolayers: 29 ± 10 cells/HPF, P < 0.05, n = 3 as determined by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling assay] as did low concentrations (0.1 U/ml) of purified leukocyte elastase (control monolayers: 6.4 ± 2.5% apoptotic vs. elastase: 26.2 ± 2.9% apoptotic, P < 0.05, as determined by cytokeratin 18 cleavage). Treatment with elastase resulted in decreased mitochondrial membrane potential, release of cytochrome c to the cytosol, and cleavage of caspases-9 and -3 as determined by Western blot analysis, implicating altered mitochondrial membrane permeability as a primary mechanism for elastase-induced apoptosis. Additionally, incubation of epithelial cells with leukocyte elastase resulted in an early increase followed by a decrease in the phosphorylation of epithelial Akt, a serine/threonine kinase important in cell survival. Inhibition of epithelial Akt before elastase treatment potentiated epithelial cell apoptosis, suggesting that the initial activation of Akt represents a protective response by the epithelial cells to the proapoptotic effects of leukocyte elastase. Taken together, these observations suggest that epithelial cells exhibit a dual response to cellular stress imposed by leukocyte elastase with a proapoptotic response mediated via early alterations in mitochondrial membrane permeability countered by activation of the survival pathway involving Akt.

neutrophil; inflammation; caspase; Src; transmigration


Address for reprint requests and other correspondence: G. P. Downey, Clinical Sciences, Rm. 6264 Medical Sciences Bldg., Univ. of Toronto, 1 Kings College Circle, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5S 1A8 (E-mail: gregory.downey{at}utoronto.ca).




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