New insights into crosstalk between pyroptosis and autophagy co-induced by molybdenum and cadmium in duck renal tubular epithelial cells

Pyroptosis and autophagy are two different biological processes that determine cell fates. Our previous studies revealed that pyroptosis and autophagy were involved in cytotoxicity co-induced by molybdenum (Mo) and cadmium (Cd) in duck renal tubular epithelial cells, but crosstalk between them is unclear. Hence, the cells were treated with 500.0 mu M Mo, 4.0 mu M Cd, 10.0 mu M Z-YVAD-fluoromethylketone (YVAD), 2.5 mu M 3-methyladenine (3-MA) and 10.0 mu M chloroquine (CQ) alone or in combination for 12 h (CQ for the last 4 h). Under Mo and Cd co-stress, data evidenced that YVAD addition decreased the number of autophagosomes, LC3 puncta, and AMPKa-1, Atg5, Beclin-1, LC3A, LC3B mRNA levels and LC3-II/LC3-I, Beclin-1 protein levels, and increased p62 expression levels. Besides, both 3-MA and CQ addition increased NLRP3, Caspase-1, NEK7, ASC, GSDMA, GSDME, IL-113, IL-18 mRNA levels, NLRP3, Caspase-1 p20, ASC, GSDMD protein and ROS levels, and NO, LDH, IL-113, IL-18 releases. Collectively, our results revealed that pyroptosis and autophagy co-induced by Mo and Cd were interrelated in duck renal tubular epithelial cells, and inhibiting pyroptosis might attenuate Mo and Cd coinduced autophagy, but inhibiting autophagy might promote Mo and Cd co-induced pyroptosis.

Automated summary

Pyroptosis and autophagy are interconnected in duck renal tubular epithelial cells under co-stress induced by molybdenum and cadmium. Inhibiting pyroptosis may attenuate the co-induced autophagy, while inhibiting autophagy could promote the co-induced pyroptosis caused by molybdenum and cadmium.