Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effect of reactive oxygen species (ROS)/silent information regulator 1 (SIRT1) on hyperoxia-induced mitochondrial injury in BEAS-2B cells. METHODS: The experiment was divided into three parts. In the first part, cells were divided into H0, H6, H12, H24, and H48 groups. In the second part, cells were divided into control group, H48 group, H48 hyperoxia+SIRT1 inhibitor group (H48+EX 527 group), and H48 hyperoxia+SIRT1 agonist group (H48+SRT1720 group). In the third part, cells were divided into control group, 48-hour hyperoxia+N-acetylcysteine group (H48+NAC group), and H48 group. The ROS kit was used to measure the level of ROS. Western blot and immunofluorescent staining were used to measure the expression levels of SIRT1 and mitochondria-related proteins. Transmission electron microscopy was used to observe the morphology of mitochondria. RESULTS: Compared with the H0 group, the H6, H12, H24, and H48 groups had a significantly increased fluorescence intensity of ROS (P<0.05), the H48 group had significant reductions in the expression levels of SIRT1 protein and mitochondria-related proteins (P<0.05), and the H24 and H48 groups had a significant reduction in the fluorescence intensity of mitochondria-related proteins (P<0.05). Compared with the H48 group, the H48+SRT1720 group had significant increases in the expression levels of mitochondria-related proteins and the mitochondrial aspect ratio (P<0.05), and the H48+EX 527 group had a significant reduction in the mitochondrial area (P<0.05). Compared with the H48 group, the H48+NAC group had a significantly decreased fluorescence intensity of ROS (P<0.05) and significantly increased levels of SIRT1 protein, mitochondria-related proteins, mitochondrial area, and mitochondrial aspect ratio (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The ROS/SIRT1 axis is involved in hyperoxia-induced mitochondrial injury in BEAS-2B cells.