Surface Lin28A expression consistent with cellular stress parallels indicators of senescence

Abstract

Aims Declining cellular functional capacity resulting from stress or aging is a primary contributor to impairment of myocardial performance. Molecular pathway regulation of biological processes in cardiac interstitial cells (CICs) is pivotal in stress and aging responses. Altered localization of the RNA binding protein Lin28A has been reported in response to environmental stress, but the role of Lin28A in response to stress in CICs has not been explored. Surface Lin28A redistribution is indicative of stress response in CIC associated with aging and senescence. Methods and Results Localization of Lin28A was assessed by multiple experimental analyses and treatment conditions and correlated to oxidative stress, senescence, and ploidy in adult murine CICs. Surface Lin28A expression is present on 5% of fresh CICs and maintained through passage 2, increasing to 21% in hyperoxic conditions but lowered to 14% in physiologic normoxia. Surface Lin28A is coincident with elevated senescence marker p16 and beta-galactosidase (β-gal) expression in CICs expanded in hyperoxia, and also increases with polyploidization and binucleation of CICs regardless of oxygen culture. Transcriptional profiling of CICs using single cell RNASeq reveals upregulation of pathways associated with oxidative stress in CICs exhibiting surface Lin28A. Induction of surface Lin28A by oxidative stress is blunted by treatment of cells with the antioxidant Trolox in a dose-dependent manner, with 300uM Trolox exposure maintaining characteristics of freshly isolated CICs possessing low expression of surface Lin28A and β-gal with predominantly diploid content. Conclusion Surface Lin28A is a marker of environmental oxidative stress in CICs and antioxidant treatment antagonizes this phenotype. The biological significance of Lin28 surface expression and consequences for myocardial responses may provide important insights regarding mitigation of cardiac stress and aging. Translational Perspective Cellular phenotypic changes occurring in response to oxidative stress provides critical insights into biological processes of pathological injury and aging. Surface Lin28A is novel surface marker of oxidative stress conditions that cause DNA damage and cellular senescence. Accumulation of surface Lin28A was inhibited by antioxidant treatment with lowered indices of cellular stress and senescence, revealing the potential of surface Lin28A as a diagnostic stress marker. Furthermore, therapeutic strategies targeted toward surface Lin28 expression set the stage for next generation senolytics to remove stressed or senescent cells and promote recovery from tissue injury or aging.