Journal of Jilin University(Medicine Edition) ›› 2025, Vol. 51 ›› Issue (6): 1532-1541.doi: 10.13481/j.1671-587X.20250609

• Research in basic medicine • Previous Articles    

Effects of heme-binding protein 1 gene knockdown on proliferation, migration, and inflammatory response of microglia BV2 and their mechanisms

Sifan FENG1,Yunfeng LI2,Jiaying WANG1,Fubin MA1,Yan WANG1()   

  1. 1.Institute of Neurology,Affiliated Hospital,Guangdong Medical University,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Age-Related Cardiac and Cerebral Diseases,Zhanjiang 524001,China
    2.Department of Neurology,People’s Hospital,Gaozhou City,Guangdong Province,Gaozhou 525200,China
  • Received:2025-01-20 Accepted:2025-02-22 Online:2025-11-28 Published:2025-12-15
  • Contact: Yan WANG E-mail:jwangyan@gdmu.edu.cn

Abstract:

Objective To explore the effect of heme-binding protein 1(HEBP1) down-regulation on the function of microglia BV2, and to clarify the key role of HEBP1 in the microglia. Methods Negative control and HEBP1 knockdown small interfering RNA (siRNA) were constructed to knockdown HEBP1 gene in mouse-derived microglial BV2, and the HEBP1 knockdown BV2 cell models were obtained. The BV2 cells were divided into si-NC group, si-HEBP1-1 group, si-HEBP1-2 group, and si-HEBP1-3 group. Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR(RT-qPCR) and Western blotting methods were used to detect the expression levels of HEBP1 mRNA and protein in the BV2 cells after knockdown; the siRNA with the most significart knockdown effect was selected for stlbsequent expreriments.The proliferation abilities of the cells in si-NC group and si-HEBP1 group were detected by cell counting kit-8(CCK-8) assay, and the cell migration rates were assessed by scratch assay; the cellular mitochondrial membrane potential and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were detected by kits; the cellular mitochondrial respiratory function was detected by mitochondrial respirometer. The BV2 cells were divided into si-NC group, si-NC+lipopolysacch aride(LPS) group, si-HEBP1 group, and si-HEBP1+LPS group. RT-qPCR method was used to detect the expression levels of HEBP1, interleukin-1β(IL-),tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),and interleukin-6(IL-6) mRNA in the BV2 cells in various groups, and Western blotting method was used to detect the expression levels of HEBP1 protein in the BV2 cells in various groups. Results When the BV2 cells were transfected with siRNA carrying with red fluorescence tag CY3, the transfect effricacy was above 90%; compared with si-NC group, the expression levels of HEBP1 protein in the BV2 cells in si-HEBP1-1 group, si-HEBP1-2 group, and si-HEBP1-3 group were significantly decreased (P<0.05 or P<0.01), especially in si-HEBP1-1 group. Compared with si-NC group, the expression levels of HEBP1 mRNA in the BV2 cells in si-HEBP1-1 group, si-HEBP1-2 group, and si-HEBP1-3 group were significantly decreased (P<0.01), especially in si-HEBP1-1 group; indicating that si-HEBP1-1 was the siRNA with best HEBP1 knowdown effect, and the HEBP1 knockdown BV2 cell model was successfully constructed. The CCK-8 resuts showed that compared with si-NC group, the proliferation activities of the BV2 cells in si-HEBP1 group were decreased (P<0.05 or P<0.01); from 90 min, the differences in proliferation activities of the BV2 cells in two groups were obvious. The cell scratch experiment results showed that compared with si-NC group, the cell migration rate in si-HEBP1 group was significantly decreased (P<0.05). The fluorescence microscope results showed that compared with si-NC group, the mitochondrial membrane potential of the BV2 cells in si-HEBP1 group was significantly decreased (P<0.05); compared with si-NC group, the ROS level in the BV2 cells in si-HEBP1 group was significantly increased(P<0.05). The mitochondrial respiration function testing results showed that compared with si-NC group, routine respiration(ROUNTINE) and leak respiration(LEAK) in si-HEBP1 group were significautly decreased (P<0.05 or P<0.01), and electron transfer system capacity(ETS) and residual oxygen consumption(ROX) had no significant differences (P>0.05); the ATP amount was decreased (P<0.05). The RT-qPCR results showed that compared with si-NC group, the expression levels of IL-TNF-α, and IL-6 mRNA in the BV2 cells in si-NC+LPS group were significantly decreased (P<0.01); compared with si-HEBP1 group, the expression levels of IL-TNF-α, and IL-6 mRNA in the BV2 cells in si-HEBP1+LPS group were significantly decreased (P<0.01); compared with si-NC+LPS group, the expression levels of IL-TNF-α, and IL-6 mRNA in the BV2 cells in si-HEBP1+LPS group were significantly increased (P<0.01). Conclusion Knockdown of HEBP1 gene can decrease the proliferation and migration abilities of the microglia BV2 and increase inflammatory response to LPS stimulus, and their mechanisms may be related to mitochondrial function damage and decreased ATP production of the BV2 cells.

Key words: Heme-binding protein 1, Microglia, Mitochondrial function, Neuroinflammation, Ractive oxygen species, Cell proliferation, Cell migration

CLC Number: 

  • R741.02