Phosphorylation of caveolin-1 is anti-apoptotic and promotes cell attachment during oxidative stress of kidney cells

Caveolin-1 (cav1) is reported to have both cell survival and pro-apoptotic characteristics. This may be explained by its localisation or phosphorylation in injured cells. This study investigated the role of cav1 in kidney cells of different nephron origin and developmental state after oxidative stress. Renal MCDK distal tubular, HK2 proximal tubular epithelial cells and HEK293T renal embryonic cells were treated with 1 mM hydrogen peroxide. Apoptosis, loss of cell adhesion, and cell survival were compared with expression of cav1 in its non-phosphorylated and phosphorylated (p-cav1) forms. Cav1 was transfected into the HEK293T cells, or caveolae were disrupted with filipin or nystatin in HK2 cells, to investigate functions of cav1 and p-cav1. Oxidative stress induced more apoptosis in HK2s than MDCKs (p