Chondrocyte autophagy mediated by T-2 toxin via AKT/TSC/Rheb/mTOR signaling pathway and protective effect of CSA-SeNP

Objective Kashin-Beck disease (KBD) is an endemic, degenerative, and cartilage-damaging disease for which low selenium and T-2 toxin are considered environmental pathogenic factors. This study aimed to investigate the molecular mechanisms of autophagy in cartilage damage caused by T-2 toxin and the protective effect of chondroitin sulfate A nano-elemental selenium (CSA-SeNP) on the cartilage. Methods KBD chondrocytes and C28/I2 human chondrocyte cell lines were used. T-2 toxin, AKT inhibitor, and CSA-SeNP treatment experiments were conducted separately, with a treatment time of 24 hours. Autophagy was monitored using MDC staining, and mRFP-GFP-LC3 adenovirus, respectively. RT-qPCR and western blotting were used to detect the expression of the relevant genes and proteins. Results The suppression of autophagy observed in KBD chondrocytes was replicated by applying 10 ng/mL T-2 toxin to C28/I2 chondrocytes for 24 hours. The AKT/TSCR/Rheb/mTOR signaling pathway was activated by T-2 toxin, which inhibits autophagy. The supplementation with CSA-SeNP alleviated the inhibition of autophagy by T-2 toxin through the AKT/TSCR/Rheb/mTOR signaling pathway. Conclusions Loss of autophagy regulated by the AKT/TSCR/Rheb/mTOR signaling pathway plays an important role in cartilage damage caused by T-2 toxin. CSA-SeNP supplementation attenuated inhibition of autophagy in chondrocyte by T-2 toxin by modulating this signaling pathway. These findings provide promising new targets for the prevention and treatment of cartilage disease.