Expression of the NDI1 gene in MPV cells
RNA from MPV cells cultured at approximately 1×10
6 cells and
NDI1-infected MPV cells were extracted and gene amplification was performed using cDNA synthesis and RT-PCR to determine whether the
NDI1 gene was normally expressed in MPV cells using rAAV-
NDI1 vector. The presence of the NDI1 gene was then confirmed by electrophoresis (Fig 1). Formation of a band in the NDI1-infected MPV was confirmed as shown in Fig 1. As shown in Table 2, the
NDI1 primer, a reverse transcription reaction using cDNA was performed to confirm normal expression of the NDI1 gene in the
NDI1-infected MPV.
RNA was extracted from MPV cells transfected with the
NDI1 gene to confirm expression of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae gene (
NDI1 gene), which has not been detected in MPV cells, which are mammalian cells. The findings confirmed that expression of the
NDI1 gene occurred in MPV cells transfected with the
NDI1 gene by synthesis of cDNA and RT-PCR using the NDI1 primer.
Park et al., (2007) reported that the
NDI1 gene was expressed in Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) mutant cells and the NDI1 gene was then confirmed by PCR using an
NDI1 primer.
Confirmation of NDI1 protein expression in MPV cells
In this experiment, western blot and immunofluorescence staining were performed to confirm normal expression of the
NDI1 gene as
NDI1 protein and its presence in mitochondria; the results are shown in Fig 2 and 3. As shown in Fig 2, according to the size of the membrane band of anti-cytochrom (COX IV), it was confirmed that mitochondria of MPV cells and MPV cells expressing
NDI1 were normally extracted and the experiment was performed using similar amounts. The results also confirmed that the anti-
NDI1 membrane band appeared only in MPV cells expressing the
NDI1 gene. Immunofluorescence staining was performed to confirm normal expression of the
NDI1 gene and its presence in the MPV transfected with the
NDI1 gene. Photographs of each MPV and MPV transfected with
NDI1 genes, listed in the order of
NDI1, mitochondria and cell nucleus are shown in Fig 3, a-c and e-g. Fig 3, d and h show composite pictures. As shown in Fig 3, the results confirmed that fluorescence of NDI1 occurred only in e; these results confirm that normal expression of the NDI1 gene occurs in MPV cells
(Seo et al., 2000; Jason et al., 2007; Santidrian et al., 2013).
Western blot and immunofluorescence staining were performed to confirm expression of the
NDI1 gene in MPV cells and in mitochondria. The results confirmed that expression of the
NDI1 gene occurred in MPV cells and was detected in mitochondria. These results were the same as those reported by
Park et al., (2007), and expression of the
NDI1 gene as a protein and its detection in mitochondria was reported (
Seo, 1998;
Nguyen et al., 2017; Jin et al., 2017). In addition, it was also confirmed that the band of anti-
NDI1 appeared only in MPV cells expressing NDI1, confirming the same results as those reported by
Park et al., (2007).
Confirmation of apoptosis caused by Rotenone
In this experiment, apoptosis caused by rotenone was confirmed using an MTS assay. MTS, a color developing reagent that utilizes the redox reaction of cells, can reduce formazan with purple crystals after treatment of cells with tetrazolium, in proportion to the proliferation of cells; thus, proliferation and death of cells can be easily studied. The MTS assay was performed daily for three days after attachment of cells to the culture plate and the results are shown in Table 4. The absorbance determined using the MTS assay was expressed as a percentage of the value for the group not treated with rotenone and the value for the treated group. Following treatment with rotenone, on day 1, MPV cells died at 54.81% and
NDI1-infected MPV cells at 34.14%, respectively, on day 2, at 58.77% and 33.21%, respectively. On the third day, all MPV cells died and only 28.36% of MPV cells transfected with the
NDI1 gene died. The absorbance was significantly higher for MPV cells not treated with rotenone compared with treated and the same results were observed in MPV cells transfected with the
NDI1-gene. The color of the reagent changed to purple as formazan was reduced in each MPV cell, with high absorbance, so that cell death increased after treatment with rotenone. Comparison of MPV cells showed significantly more
NDI1-infected MPV cells compared with MPV cells in both experimental groups treated with or without rotenone. MPV cells transfected with the
NDI1 gene showed greater viability than MPV cells that were not transfected (Table 4). The mortality rate for Rotenone-treated MPV cells and
NDI1-infected MPV cells for three days was confirmed, as shown in Fig 4. After culturing the same amount of MPV cells on the first day, on the first day of treatment with rotenone, a tendency to decrease was observed for both cells, although the graph showed a gentler slope for
NDI1-infected MPV. From the second day, the number of
NDI1-infected MPV cells was maintained until the third day. However, for MPV not treated with the
NDI1 gene, the number of cells showed a rapid decrease and died until the third day. These results could be clearly confirmed by observation using an optical microscope as shown in Fig 5.
According to a study reported by
Marella et al., (2007), approximately 70% of dopamine cells (PC12) had died four days after treatment with 1 μM rotenone, although approximately 20% of the
NDI1 transfected dopamine cells were dead. However, the results were similar to those of this study. However, after treatment with 0.2 µM rotenone for four days , the rate of apoptosis of dopamine cells and PC12 cells, was approximately 10% and the rate of death for dopamine cells transfected with the
NDI1 gene (PC12-NDI1) was estimated as approximately 1%. In addition, according to a study reported by
Seo et al., (1999), who reported on the death rate for 0.1 mM rotenone in HEK 293 cells that almost died on the fourth day, but increased by approximately three times more than the first in HEK 293 cells transfected with the
NDI1 gene. Almost all apoptosis occurred on days 3-4 in cells that were not transfected with the NDI1 gene, similar to previous studies. However, proliferation in HEK 293 cells was observed for cells transfected with the
NDI1 gene
(Seo et al., 1999). The findings suggest that resistance to rotenone exposure can show minor variation depending on the cell type.
In this experiment, transfection of rAAV-
NDI1 into the Mini Pig Neural stem cell line (MPV), known to have a genotype similar to humans, with the
NDI1 gene, which is insensitive to rotenone, known to cause Parkinson’s disease, was attempted. Normal expression of the
NDI1 gene in MPV cells was confirmed by Western blot and immunofluo rescence staining.
To determine whether the
NDI1 gene can function normally after treatment with rotenone, 0.2 mM of rotenone was applied with incubation for three days and the rates of cell death were assessed every 24 hours using an optical microscope and an MTS assay. According to the results,
NDI1-infected MPV cells showed resistance in the rotenone environment and survived more than 70% on the third day. These results were similar to those of complex I defects in human cells reported by
Seo et al., (2000). Seo et al., (2000) and
Marella et al., (2007) reported that mitochondrial defects due to genetic and environmental factors as the cause of cell death and oxidative stress can damage DNA and induce cell death. According to
Marelle et al., (2007), as a mechanism of apoptosis and DNA damage, blockage of the electron transport pathway of complex I by rotenone can cause a rapid increase in the levels of ROS within a few hours and ROS can directly induce apoptosis and DNA damage. However, phosphorylation of the kinase can be induced by p38 kinase and JNK.
Activation of the kinase pathway has been linked to the mechanism of mitochondrial apoptosis through phosphorylation of BAX, resulting in release of apoptosis progenitors including AIF and Endo G. Another study reported that in mitochondria, release of Cyt C occurred earlier than the release of AIF/Endo G and was involved in activation of Caspase 9. Therefore, it is thought that the cause of MPV cell death was defects of complex I caused by rotenone and generation of ROS caused by blockage of the electron transport system.