Acta Veterinaria et Zootechnica Sinica ›› 2025, Vol. 56 ›› Issue (11): 5706-5720.doi: 10.11843/j.issn.0366-6964.2025.11.029

• Preventive Veterinary Medicine • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Signaling Pathway Analysis of Ferroptosis Induced by Recombinant Candida krusei 14-3-3 Protein in Bovine Mammary Epithelial Cells

MA Yue1(), MIAO Yuhang1,2(), DING Tao1,2, XIN Jie1,2, MA Wenyan1,2, LI Yanan1,2,*(), ZHOU Xuezhang1,2,*(), DU Jun1,2,*()   

  1. 1. College of Life Science, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, China
    2. Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for the Conservation and Utilization of Special Biological Resources of Western China, Yinchuan 750021, China
  • Received:2024-10-08 Online:2025-11-23 Published:2025-11-27
  • Contact: LI Yanan, ZHOU Xuezhang, DU Jun E-mail:2459892015@qq.com;myh6943@126.com;liyanan@nxu.cn;zhouxuezhang@nxu.edu.cn;dujun@nxu.edu.cn

Abstract:

The aim of this study was to investigate the characteristics of ferroptosis induced by recombinant Candida krusei 14-3-3 (rCK14-3-3) protein in bovine mammary epithelial cells (MAC-T), providing a theoretical basis for revealing the mechanism of damage to bovine mammary epithelial cells by Candida krusei virulence factors. The optimal concentration and action time of rCK14-3-3 protein on MAC-T were screened by CCK-8 method. MAC-T cells were divided into blank control group, positive control group (10 μmol·L-1 Erastin), experimental group Ⅰ (different concentrations of rCK14-3-3 protein (25, 50, 75 μg·mL-1)), experimental group Ⅱ (different concentrations of rCK14-3-3 protein (25, 50, 75 μg·mL-1) +ferroptosis inhibitor Ferrostatin-1 (20 μmol·L-1)), and experimental group Ⅲ (different concentrations of rCK14-3-3 protein (25, 50, 75 μg·mL-1) +Nrf2-specific inhibitor ML385 (25 μmol·L-1)). The morphological characteristics of ferroptosis were detected by transmission electron microscopy. The expression levels of Nrf2-SLC7A11/GPX4 signaling pathway proteins induced by rCK14-3-3 in MAC-T were detected by Western blot. The expression levels of glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), reactive oxygen species (ROS), and mitochondrial membrane potential (JC-1) were detected by immunofluorescence. The contents of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), and ferrous ions (Fe2+) in MAC-T were detected by colorimetry. The results showed that compared with the blank control group, the positive control group and experimental group Ⅰ showed obvious ferroptosis characteristics. The expression levels of Nrf2, GPX4, SLC7A11 proteins and GSH content in the positive control group and experimental group Ⅰ were significantly decreased (P < 0.05), while the contents of ROS, MDA, and Fe2+ were significantly increased, and the content of JC-1 was significantly decreased (P < 0.05). Compared with experimental group Ⅰ, the expression levels of Nrf2, GPX4, SLC7A11 proteins and GSH content in experimental group Ⅱ were significantly increased (P < 0.05), while the contents of ROS, MDA, and Fe2+ were significantly decreased, and the content of JC-1 was significantly increased (P < 0.05). In experimental group Ⅲ, the expression levels of Nrf2, GPX4, SLC7A11 proteins and GSH content were significantly decreased (P < 0.05), while the contents of ROS, MDA, and Fe2+ were significantly increased, and the content of JC-1 was significantly decreased (P < 0.05). This study demonstrated that rCK14-3-3 protein could induce ferroptosis in MAC-T through the Nrf2-SLC7A11/GPX4 signaling pathway, providing data support for future targeted intervention in ferroptosis to prevent and treat Candida-induced bovine mastitis.

Key words: recombinant Candida krusei 14-3-3 protein, bovine mammary epithelial cells, nuclear factor E2-related factor 2-solute carrier family 7A11/GPX4 signaling pathway, ferroptosis

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