TXNIP knockdown ameliorates hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury by inhibiting apoptosis and improving mitochondrial dysfunction via HIF-1α

This study aims to investigate whether thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP) regulates cell viability, cell apoptosis and mitochondrial damage in OGD/R-induced hepatocytes and to explore its underlying mechanism. AML12 cells were cultured under oxygen-glucose deprivation/reperfusion (OGD/R) conditions. TXNIP mRNA was detected using qRT-PCR, and the TXNIP protein was analyzed using western blotting. TXNIP-targeted short hairpin RNA (sh-TXNIP) lentivirus was used to infect the AML12 cells. CCK8 and TUNEL assays were applied to detect cell viability and apoptosis, respectively. DCFH-DA probe was used to determine reactive oxygen species (ROS) release level, and JC-1 probe was used to evaluate mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP). The localization of TXNIP and HIF-1 alpha was observed using immunofluorescence. Our results showed that TXNIP markedly increased in AML12 cells treated with OGD/R. TXNIP knockdown increased cell viability and reduced cell apoptosis under OGD/R treatment. Moreover, MMP significantly increased and ROS release decreased in cells after TXNIP knockdown under OGD/R treatment. Additionally, TXNIP knockdown markedly increased the expression of HIF-1 alpha. HIF-1 alpha exhibited nuclear translocation following OGD/R induction, and TXNIP knockdown further promoted it. Compared with the OGD/R + sh-TXNIP group, HIF-1 alpha agonist ML228 inhibited cell apoptosis and ROS release, and increased MMP. However, HIF-1 alpha inhibitor PX478 had the opposite effect. In summary, TXNIP deletion ameliorated AML12 cell injury caused by OGD/R via promoting HIF-1 alpha expression and nuclear translocation, manifested by inhibiting cell apoptosis and alleviating mitochondrial dysfunction.