Biological effects and mechanism of RAW246.7 cells exposed to hexavalent uranium

Abstract In this study, biological effects and mechanisms of hexavalent uranium (U[VI]) damage on RAW264.7 immune cells were investigated by biological experiments and transcriptome analysis. Cell viability, cell cycle, colony formation, and transcriptomes of RAW264.7 were examined after 24 hr exposure to U(VI). The results showed a marked decrease in viability and arrest of the G2/M phase after U(VI) treatment, and 1,092 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were upregulated and 1127 DEGs were downregulated relative to the control group. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes data revealed that DEGs were primarily involved in the transcriptional dysregulation of the nuclear factor-κB and mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathways, and so on. Gene Ontology classification revealed that DEGs were mainly enriched in cellular components, molecular functions, and biological processes. The trends of four DEGs assayed by Western blotting were consistent with that of the RNA sequencing. These findings establish a theoretical foundation for future research into the immune system toxicity of U(VI).