Autophagy caused by oxidative stress promotes TGF-β1-induced epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in human peritoneal mesothelial cells

Abstract Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is one of the main causes of peritoneal fibrosis. However, the pathophysiological mechanisms of EMT, specifically its relationship with autophagy, are still unknown. This study aimed to evaluate the role of autophagy in transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1)-induced EMT in human peritoneal mesothelial cells (HPMCs). Primary cultured HPMCs were treated with TGF-β1 (2 and 5 ng/mL) and changes in autophagy markers and the relationship between autophagy and EMT were evaluated. We also identified changes in EMT- and autophagy-related signaling pathways after autophagy and NADPH oxidase 4 (NOX4) inhibition. TGF-β1 increased the generation of NOX4 and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in HPMCs, resulting in mitochondrial damage. Treatment with GKT137831 (20 μM), a NOX1/4 inhibitor, reduced ROS in the mitochondria of HPMC cells and reduced TGF-β1-induced mitochondrial damage. Additionally, the indirect inhibition of autophagy by GKT137831 (20 μM) downregulated TGF-β1-induced EMT, whereas direct inhibition of autophagy using 3-methyladenine (3-MA) (2 mM) or autophagy-related gene 5 ( ATG5 ) gene silencing decreased the TGF-β1-induced EMT in HPMCs. The suppressor of mothers against decapentaplegic 2/3 (Smad2/3), autophagy-related phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) class III, and protein kinase B (Akt) pathways, and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways, such as extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and P38, were involved in TGF-β1-induced EMT. Autophagy and NOX4 inhibition suppressed the activation of these signaling pathways. Direct inhibition of autophagy and its indirect inhibition through the reduction of mitochondrial damage by upstream NOX4 inhibition reduced EMT in HPMCs. These results suggest that autophagy could serve as a therapeutic target for the prevention of peritoneal fibrosis in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis.