Secretory Factors from Calcium-Sensing Receptor-Activated SW872 Pre-Adipocytes Induce Cellular Senescence and A Mitochondrial Fragmentation-Mediated Inflammatory Response in HepG2 Cells

Adipose tissue inflammation in obesity has a deleterious impact on organs such as the liver, ultimately leading to their dysfunction. We have previously shown that activation of the calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) in pre-adipocytes induces TNF-α and IL-1β expression and secretion; however, it is unknown whether these factors promote hepatocyte alterations, particularly promoting cell senescence and/or mitochondrial dysfunction. We generated conditioned medium (CM) from the pre-adipocyte cell line SW872 treated with either vehicle (CM(veh)) or the CaSR activator cinacalcet 2 µM (CM(cin)), in the absence or presence of the CaSR inhibitor calhex 231 10 µM (CM(cin+cal)). HepG2 cells were cultured with these CM for 120 h and then assessed for cell senescence and mitochondrial dysfunction. CM(cin)-treated cells showed increased SA-β-GAL staining, which was absent in TNF-α- and IL-1β-depleted CM. Compared to CM(veh), CM(cin) arrested cell cycle, increased IL-1β and CCL2 mRNA, and induced p16 and p53 senescence markers, which was prevented by CM(cin+cal). Crucial proteins for mitochondrial function, PGC-1α and OPA1, were decreased with CM(cin) treatment, concomitant with fragmentation of the mitochondrial network and decreased mitochondrial transmembrane potential. We conclude that pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-1β secreted by SW872 cells after CaSR activation promote cell senescence and mitochondrial dysfunction, which is mediated by mitochondrial fragmentation in HepG2 cells and whose effects were reversed with Mdivi-1. This investigation provides new evidence about the deleterious CaSR-induced communication between pre-adipocytes and liver cells, incorporating the mechanisms involved in cellular senescence.