-
The Journal of Cell Biology Jun 2023Exosomes are small vesicles that are secreted from cells to dispose of undegraded materials and mediate intercellular communication. A major source of exosomes is...
Exosomes are small vesicles that are secreted from cells to dispose of undegraded materials and mediate intercellular communication. A major source of exosomes is intraluminal vesicles within multivesicular endosomes that undergo exocytic fusion with the plasma membrane. An alternative fate of multivesicular endosomes is fusion with lysosomes, resulting in degradation of the intraluminal vesicles. The factors that determine whether multivesicular endosomes fuse with the plasma membrane or with lysosomes are unknown. In this study, we show that impairment of endolysosomal fusion by disruption of a pathway involving the BLOC-one-related complex (BORC), the small GTPase ARL8, and the tethering factor HOPS increases exosome secretion by preventing the delivery of intraluminal vesicles to lysosomes. These findings demonstrate that endolysosomal fusion is a critical determinant of the amount of exosome secretion and suggest that suppression of the BORC-ARL8-HOPS pathway could be used to boost exosome yields in biotechnology applications.
Topics: Cell Membrane; Endosomes; Exosomes; Lysosomes; Multivesicular Bodies; ADP-Ribosylation Factors; Membrane Proteins
PubMed: 37213076
DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202209084 -
Nature Communications Oct 2023Niemann-Pick C1-like 1 (NPC1L1) is essential for intestinal cholesterol absorption. Together with the cholesterol-rich and Flotillin-positive membrane microdomain,...
Niemann-Pick C1-like 1 (NPC1L1) is essential for intestinal cholesterol absorption. Together with the cholesterol-rich and Flotillin-positive membrane microdomain, NPC1L1 is internalized via clathrin-mediated endocytosis and transported to endocytic recycling compartment (ERC). When ERC cholesterol level decreases, NPC1L1 interacts with LIMA1 and moves back to plasma membrane. However, how cholesterol leaves ERC is unknown. Here, we find that, in male mice, intracellular bile acids facilitate cholesterol transport to other organelles, such as endoplasmic reticulum, in a non-micellar fashion. When cholesterol level in ERC is decreased by bile acids, the NPC1L1 carboxyl terminus that previously interacts with the cholesterol-rich membranes via the ALAL residues dissociates from membrane, exposing the QKR motif for LIMA1 recruitment. Then NPC1L1 moves back to plasma membrane. This study demonstrates an intracellular cholesterol transport function of bile acids and explains how the substantial amount of cholesterol in NPC1L1-positive compartments is unloaded in enterocytes during cholesterol absorption.
Topics: Animals; Male; Mice; Biological Transport; Cell Membrane; Cholesterol; Intestinal Absorption; Membrane Transport Proteins
PubMed: 37833289
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42179-5 -
Nature Aug 2023Arrestins have pivotal roles in regulating G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) signalling by desensitizing G protein activation and mediating receptor internalization. It...
Arrestins have pivotal roles in regulating G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) signalling by desensitizing G protein activation and mediating receptor internalization. It has been proposed that the arrestin binds to the receptor in two different conformations, 'tail' and 'core', which were suggested to govern distinct processes of receptor signalling and trafficking. However, little structural information is available for the tail engagement of the arrestins. Here we report two structures of the glucagon receptor (GCGR) bound to β-arrestin 1 (βarr1) in glucagon-bound and ligand-free states. These structures reveal a receptor tail-engaged binding mode of βarr1 with many unique features, to our knowledge, not previously observed. Helix VIII, instead of the receptor core, has a major role in accommodating βarr1 by forming extensive interactions with the central crest of βarr1. The tail-binding pose is further defined by a close proximity between the βarr1 C-edge and the receptor helical bundle, and stabilized by a phosphoinositide derivative that bridges βarr1 with helices I and VIII of GCGR. Lacking any contact with the arrestin, the receptor core is in an inactive state and loosely binds to glucagon. Further functional studies suggest that the tail conformation of GCGR-βarr governs βarr recruitment at the plasma membrane and endocytosis of GCGR, and provides a molecular basis for the receptor forming a super-complex simultaneously with G protein and βarr to promote sustained signalling within endosomes. These findings extend our knowledge about the arrestin-mediated modulation of GPCR functionalities.
Topics: beta-Arrestin 1; Cell Membrane; Endocytosis; Endosomes; Glucagon; Heterotrimeric GTP-Binding Proteins; Ligands; Phosphatidylinositols; Receptors, Glucagon; Protein Binding
PubMed: 37558880
DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06420-x -
Advanced Science (Weinheim,... Oct 2023Ferroptosis, an iron-dependent form of regulated cell death driven by excessive accumulation of lipid peroxides, has become a promising strategy in cancer treatment....
Ferroptosis, an iron-dependent form of regulated cell death driven by excessive accumulation of lipid peroxides, has become a promising strategy in cancer treatment. Cancer cells exploit antioxidant proteins, including Ferroptosis Suppressor Protein 1 (FSP1), to prevent ferroptosis. In this study, it is found that the E3 ubiquitin ligase TRIM21 bound to FSP1 and mediated its ubiquitination on K322 and K366 residues via K63 linkage, which is essential for its membrane translocation and ferroptosis suppression ability. It is further verified the protective role of the TRIM21-FSP1 axis in RSL3-induced ferroptosis in cancer cells and a subcutaneous tumor model. Moreover, TRIM21 is highly expressed in multiple gastrointestinal (GI) tumors, and its expression is further stimulated upon ferroptosis induction in cancer cells and the KPC mouse model. In summary, This study identifies TRIM21 as a negative regulator of ferroptosis through K63 ubiquitination of FSP1, which can serve as a therapeutic target to enhance the chemosensitivity of tumors based on ferroptosis induction.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Mice; Antioxidants; Cell Membrane; Disease Models, Animal; Ferroptosis; Neoplasms
PubMed: 37587773
DOI: 10.1002/advs.202302318 -
ACS Chemical Biology Sep 2023Protein-membrane interactions (PMIs) are ubiquitous in cellular signaling. Initial steps of signal transduction cascades often rely on transient and dynamic interactions...
Protein-membrane interactions (PMIs) are ubiquitous in cellular signaling. Initial steps of signal transduction cascades often rely on transient and dynamic interactions with the inner plasma membrane leaflet to populate and regulate signaling hotspots. Methods to target and modulate these interactions could yield attractive tool compounds and drug candidates. Here, we demonstrate that the conjugation of a medium-chain lipid tail to the covalent K-Ras(G12C) binder MRTX849 at a solvent-exposed site enables such direct modulation of PMIs. The conjugated lipid tail interacts with the tethered membrane and changes the relative membrane orientation and conformation of K-Ras(G12C), as shown by molecular dynamics (MD) simulation-supported NMR studies. In cells, this PMI modulation restricts the lateral mobility of K-Ras(G12C) and disrupts nanoclusters. The described strategy could be broadly applicable to selectively modulate transient PMIs.
Topics: ras Proteins; Cell Membrane; Signal Transduction; Molecular Dynamics Simulation; Lipids; Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras)
PubMed: 37579045
DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.3c00413 -
Human Genetics Aug 2023Exocytosis is the process by which secretory vesicles fuse with the plasma membrane to deliver materials to the cell surface or to release cargoes to the extracellular... (Review)
Review
Exocytosis is the process by which secretory vesicles fuse with the plasma membrane to deliver materials to the cell surface or to release cargoes to the extracellular space. The exocyst-an evolutionarily conserved octameric protein complex-mediates spatiotemporal control of SNARE complex assembly for vesicle fusion and tethering the secretory vesicles to the plasma membrane. The exocyst participates in diverse cellular functions, including protein trafficking to the plasma membrane, membrane extension, cell polarity, neurite outgrowth, ciliogenesis, cytokinesis, cell migration, autophagy, host defense, and tumorigenesis. Exocyst subunits are essential for cell viability; and mutations or variants in several exocyst subunits have been implicated in human diseases, mostly neurodevelopmental disorders and ciliopathies. These conditions often share common features such as developmental delay, intellectual disability, and brain abnormalities. In this review, we summarize the mutations and variants in exocyst subunits that have been linked to disease and discuss the implications of exocyst dysfunction in other disorders.
Topics: Humans; Vesicular Transport Proteins; Cytoplasm; Cell Membrane; Exocytosis; Nervous System Diseases
PubMed: 37085629
DOI: 10.1007/s00439-023-02558-w -
Nature Aug 2023PIEZOs are mechanosensitive ion channels that convert force into chemoelectric signals and have essential roles in diverse physiological settings. In vitro studies have...
PIEZOs are mechanosensitive ion channels that convert force into chemoelectric signals and have essential roles in diverse physiological settings. In vitro studies have proposed that PIEZO channels transduce mechanical force through the deformation of extensive blades of transmembrane domains emanating from a central ion-conducting pore. However, little is known about how these channels interact with their native environment and which molecular movements underlie activation. Here we directly observe the conformational dynamics of the blades of individual PIEZO1 molecules in a cell using nanoscopic fluorescence imaging. Compared with previous structural models of PIEZO1, we show that the blades are significantly expanded at rest by the bending stress exerted by the plasma membrane. The degree of expansion varies dramatically along the length of the blade, where decreased binding strength between subdomains can explain increased flexibility of the distal blade. Using chemical and mechanical modulators of PIEZO1, we show that blade expansion and channel activation are correlated. Our findings begin to uncover how PIEZO1 is activated in a native environment. More generally, as we reliably detect conformational shifts of single nanometres from populations of channels, we expect that this approach will serve as a framework for the structural analysis of membrane proteins through nanoscopic imaging.
Topics: Cell Membrane; Fluorescence; Ion Channels; Models, Molecular; Movement; Protein Conformation; Single-Cell Analysis
PubMed: 37587339
DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06427-4 -
Journal of Extracellular Vesicles Sep 2023Exosomes play crucial roles in local and distant cellular communication and are involved in various physiological and pathological processes. Tumour-derived exosomes are...
Exosomes play crucial roles in local and distant cellular communication and are involved in various physiological and pathological processes. Tumour-derived exosomes are pivotal to tumorigenesis, but the precise mechanisms underlying their secretion remain elusive. In particular, the SNARE proteins that mediate the fusion of multivesicular bodies (MVBs) with the plasma membrane (PM) in tumour cells are subject to debate. In this study, we identified syntaxin-4, SNAP-23, and VAMP-7 as the SNAREs responsible for exosome secretion in MCF-7 breast cancer cells and found that a SNARE complex consisting of these SNAREs can drive membrane fusion in vitro. Deletion of any of these SNAREs in MCF-7 cells did not affect MVB biogenesis and transportation, indicating their specific involvement in MVB-PM fusion. In addition, syntaxin-4, SNAP-23, and VAMP-7 play equivalent roles in exosome secretion in both HeLa cervical cancer cells and A375 melanoma cells, suggesting their conserved function in exosome secretion. Furthermore, deletion of VAMP-7 in 4T1 mammary carcinoma cells efficiently inhibited exosome secretion and led to significant attenuation of tumour growth and lung metastasis in mouse models, implying that VAMP-7 may hold promise as a novel therapeutic target for breast cancer.
Topics: Animals; Mice; Humans; Multivesicular Bodies; Exosomes; Extracellular Vesicles; Cell Membrane; Qa-SNARE Proteins
PubMed: 37700095
DOI: 10.1002/jev2.12356 -
European Journal of Cell Biology Sep 2023Plant synaptotagmins (SYTs) are resident proteins of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). They are characterized by an N-terminal transmembrane region and C2 domains at the... (Review)
Review
Plant synaptotagmins (SYTs) are resident proteins of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). They are characterized by an N-terminal transmembrane region and C2 domains at the C-terminus, which tether the ER to the plasma membrane (PM). In addition to their tethering role, SYTs contain a lipid-harboring SMP domain, essential for shuttling lipids between the ER and the PM. There is now abundant literature on Arabidopsis SYT1, the best-characterized family member, which link it to biotic and abiotic responses as well as to ER morphology. Here, we review the current knowledge of SYT members, focusing on their role in stress, and discuss how these roles can be related to their tethering and lipid transport functions. Finally, we contextualize this information about SYTs with their homologs, the yeast tricalbins and the mammalian extended synaptotagmins.
Topics: Animals; Synaptotagmins; Cell Membrane; Endoplasmic Reticulum; Biological Transport; Lipids; Mammals
PubMed: 37390668
DOI: 10.1016/j.ejcb.2023.151335 -
International Journal of Molecular... Jun 2023Necroptosis is a recently discovered form of regulated cell death characterized by the disruption of plasma membrane integrity and the release of intracellular content.... (Review)
Review
Necroptosis is a recently discovered form of regulated cell death characterized by the disruption of plasma membrane integrity and the release of intracellular content. Mixed lineage kinase domain-like (MLKL) protein is the main player of this cell death pathway as it mediates the final step of plasma membrane permeabilization. Despite the significant progress in our knowledge of the necroptotic pathway and MLKL biology, the precise mechanism of how MLKL functions remain unclear. To understand in what way MLKL executes necroptosis, it is crucial to decipher how the molecular machinery of regulated cell death is activated in response to different stimuli or stressors. It is also indispensable to unveiling the structural elements of MLKL and the cellular players that are required for its regulation. In this review, we discuss the key steps that lead to MLKL activation, possible models that explain how it becomes the death executor in necroptosis, and its emerging alternative functions. We also summarize the current knowledge about the role of MLKL in human disease and provide an overview of existing strategies aimed at developing new inhibitors that target MLKL for necroptosis intervention.
Topics: Humans; Apoptosis; Protein Kinases; Necroptosis; Cell Death; Cell Membrane; Receptor-Interacting Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
PubMed: 37373257
DOI: 10.3390/ijms241210108