Trehalose improves cell proliferation and dehydration tolerance of human HaCaT cells

Trehalose is a disaccharide molecule that serves as a natural osmotic regulator in halophilic microorganisms and plants but not in mammals. We observed that human HaCaT cells supplied with trehalose improved cell proliferation and extended viability under dehydration. In HaCaT cells, in response to increasing concentrations of exogenous trehalose, the levels of heat shock protein (HSP) 70 increased and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 1 decreased. Proteome analysis of trehalose-treated HaCaT cells revealed remarkable increases in the levels of proteins involved in cell signaling and the cell cycle, including p21 activated kinase I, Sec I family domain protein and elongation factor G. Moreover, the proteins for cell stress resistance, tryptophan hydroxylase, serine/cysteine proteinase inhibitors and vitamin D receptors were also increased. In addition, the proteins responsible for the maintenance of the cytoskeleton and cellular structures including procollagen-lysine dioxygenase, vinculin and ezrin were increased. Proteomic data revealed that trehalose affected HaCaT cells by inducing the proteins involved in cell proliferation. These results suggest that trehalose improves the proliferation and dehydration tolerance of HaCaT cells by inducing proteins involved in cell growth and dehydration protection.