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Nature Communications Jan 2024Selective autophagy is an essential process to maintain cellular homeostasis through the constant recycling of damaged or superfluous components. Over a dozen selective...
Selective autophagy is an essential process to maintain cellular homeostasis through the constant recycling of damaged or superfluous components. Over a dozen selective autophagy pathways mediate the degradation of diverse cellular substrates, but whether these pathways can influence one another remains unknown. We address this question using pexophagy, the autophagic degradation of peroxisomes, as a model. We show in cells that upregulated pexophagy impairs the selective autophagy of both mitochondria and protein aggregates by exhausting the autophagy initiation factor, ULK1. We confirm this finding in cell models of the pexophagy-mediated form of Zellweger Spectrum Disorder, a disease characterized by peroxisome dysfunction. Further, we extend the generalizability of limited selective autophagy by determining that increased protein aggregate degradation reciprocally reduces pexophagy using cell models of Parkinson's Disease and Huntington's Disease. Our findings suggest that the degradative capacity of selective autophagy can become limited by an increase in one substrate.
Topics: Humans; Macroautophagy; Autophagy; Huntington Disease; Mitochondria; Parkinson Disease
PubMed: 38195640
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44005-4 -
Cell & Bioscience Jan 2024Hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs) typically remain quiescent and are activated only during the transition from telogen to anagen to ensure that the hair follicle enters a...
BACKGROUND
Hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs) typically remain quiescent and are activated only during the transition from telogen to anagen to ensure that the hair follicle enters a new cycle. The metabolic behavior of stem cells in tissues is regulated by macroautophagy/autophagy, and changes in HFSC metabolism directly affect their activation and maintenance. However, the role of autophagy in the regulation of HFSC metabolism and function remains unclear.
METHODS
Back skin samples were obtained from mice at different hair follicle cycle stages, and immunofluorescence staining was used to monitor autophagy in HFSCs. Mouse and human hair follicles were treated with rapamycin (Rapa, an autophagy activator) or 3-methyladenine (3-MA, an autophagy inhibitor). The effects of autophagy on the hair follicle cycle and HFSC were investigated by imaging, cell proliferation staining, and HFSC-specific marker staining. The influence and mechanism of autophagy on HFSC metabolism were explored using RNA sequencing, real-time polymerase chain reaction, immunohistochemical staining, and detection of lactate and glucose concentrations. Finally, the influence of autophagy-induced glycolysis on HFSC and the hair follicle cycle was verified by stem cell characteristics and in vivo functional experiments.
RESULTS
Autophagy in HFSC was highest during the transition from telogen to anagen. Inhibiting autophagy with 3-MA led to early entry into catagen and prolonged telogen, whereas Rapa promoted autophagy and hair growth. Autophagy activated HFSC by increasing the expression and activity of HFSC lactate dehydrogenase (Ldha), thereby transforming HFSC metabolism into glycolysis. Inhibition of Ldha expression counteracted the effects of autophagy.
CONCLUSIONS
Autophagy activated HFSC by promoting the transition from HFSC metabolism to glycolysis, ultimately initiating the hair follicle cycle and promoting hair growth.
PubMed: 38183147
DOI: 10.1186/s13578-023-01177-2 -
Journal of Virology Feb 2024Macroautophagy/autophagy is a cellular degradation and recycling process that maintains the homeostasis of organisms. A growing number of studies have reported that...
Macroautophagy/autophagy is a cellular degradation and recycling process that maintains the homeostasis of organisms. A growing number of studies have reported that autophagy participates in infection by a variety of viruses. Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) causes severe financial losses to the global swine industry. Although much research has shown that PRRSV triggers autophagy for its own benefits, the exact molecular mechanisms involved in PRRSV-triggered autophagy remain to be fully elucidated. In the current study, we demonstrated that PRRSV infection significantly induced Golgi apparatus (GA) fragmentation, which promoted autophagy to facilitate viral self-replication. Mechanistically, PRRSV nonstructural protein 2 was identified to interact with and degrade the Golgi reassembly and stacking protein 65 dependent on its papain-like cysteine protease 2 activity, resulting in GA fragmentation. Upon GA fragmentation, GA-resident Ras-like protein in brain 2 was disassociated from Golgi matrix protein 130 and subsequently bound to unc-51 like autophagy activating kinase 1 (ULK1), which enhanced phosphorylation of ULK1 and promoted autophagy. Taken together, all these results expand the knowledge of PRRSV-triggered autophagy as well as PRRSV pathogenesis to support novel potential avenues for prevention and control of the virus. More importantly, these results provide the detailed mechanism of GA fragmentation-mediated autophagy, deepening the understanding of autophagic processes.IMPORTANCEPorcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) infection results in a serious swine disease affecting pig farming worldwide. Despite that numerous studies have shown that PRRSV triggers autophagy for its self-replication, how PRRSV induces autophagy is incompletely understood. Here, we identify that PRRSV Nsp2 degrades GRASP65 to induce GA fragmentation, which dissociates RAB2 from GM130 and activates RAB2-ULK1-mediated autophagy to enhance viral replication. This work expands our understanding of PRRSV-induced autophagy and PRRSV replication, which is beneficial for anti-viral drug development.
Topics: Animals; Autophagy; Cell Line; Golgi Apparatus; Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome; Porcine respiratory and reproductive syndrome virus; Swine; Virus Replication
PubMed: 38179942
DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01842-23 -
Autophagy Jun 2024Accumulating evidence suggests that cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF) macroautophagy/autophagy is crucial in tumor development and may be a therapeutic target for...
Accumulating evidence suggests that cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF) macroautophagy/autophagy is crucial in tumor development and may be a therapeutic target for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). However, the role of CAF autophagy during immune surveillance and cancer immunotherapy is unclear. The present study revealed that the inhibition of CAF autophagy suppresses tumor development in immune-deficient xenografts. This deletion compromises anti-tumor immunity and anti-tumor efficacy both and by upregulating CD274/PDL1 levels in an immune-competent mouse model. A block in CAF autophagy reduced the production of IL6 (interleukin 6), disrupting high desmoplastic TME and decreasing USP14 expression at the transcription level in pancreatic cancer cells. We further identify USP14 as the post-translational factor responsible for downregulating CD274 expression by removing K63 linked-ubiquitination at the K280 residue. Finally, chloroquine diphosphate-loaded mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-liposomes, by accurately targeting CAFs, inhibited CAF autophagy, improving the efficacy of immunochemotherapy to combat pancreatic cancer.: AIR: adaptive immune resistance; ATRA: all-trans-retinoicacid; CAF: cancer-associated fibroblast; CD274/PDL1: CD274 molecule; CM: conditioned medium; CQ: chloroquine diphosphate; CyTOF: Mass cytometry; FGF2/bFGF: fibroblast growth factor 2; ICB: immune checkpoint blockade; IF: immunofluorescence; IHC: immunohistochemistry; IP: immunoprecipitation; MS: mass spectrometer; MSC: mesenchymal stem cell; PDAC: pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma; TEM: transmission electron microscopy; TILs: tumor infiltrating lymphocytes; TME: tumor microenvironment; USP14: ubiquitin specific peptidase 14.
Topics: Autophagy; Animals; Pancreatic Neoplasms; Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts; Humans; Mice; Immunotherapy; Tumor Microenvironment; Cell Line, Tumor; Adaptive Immunity; Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal; B7-H1 Antigen; Chloroquine
PubMed: 38174993
DOI: 10.1080/15548627.2023.2300913 -
Autophagy May 2024Dysfunction of the neuronal endolysosome and macroautophagy/autophagy pathway is emerging as an important pathogenic mechanism in frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and...
Dysfunction of the neuronal endolysosome and macroautophagy/autophagy pathway is emerging as an important pathogenic mechanism in frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The (valosin-containing protein) gene is of significant relevance, directly implicated in both FTD and ALS. In our recent study, we used patient-derived stem cells to study the effects of mutations on the endolysosome and autophagy system in human cortical excitatory neurons. We found that mutations cause an abnormal accumulation of enlarged endosomes and lysosomes, accompanied by reduced autophagy flux. mutations also lead to the spatial dissociation of intra-nuclear RNA-binding proteins, FUS and SFPQ, which correlates with alternative splicing of the pre-mRNA and increased tau phosphorylation. Importantly, we found that an increase in the 4R-tau isoform is sufficient to drive toxic changes in healthy human cortical excitatory neurons, including tau hyperphosphorylation, endolysosomal dysfunction, lysosomal membrane rupture, endoplasmic reticulum stress, and apoptosis. Together, our data suggest that endolysosomal and autophagy dysfunction could represent a convergent pathogenic "design principle" shared by both FTD and ALS.
Topics: Humans; Frontotemporal Dementia; Autophagy; tau Proteins; Lysosomes; Endosomes; Neurons; Mutation; Valosin Containing Protein
PubMed: 38174587
DOI: 10.1080/15548627.2023.2300917 -
Molecular Plant-microbe Interactions :... Apr 2024We used serial block-face scanning electron microscopy (SBF-SEM) to study the host-pathogen interface between cotyledons and the hemibiotrophic fungus . By combining...
We used serial block-face scanning electron microscopy (SBF-SEM) to study the host-pathogen interface between cotyledons and the hemibiotrophic fungus . By combining high-pressure freezing and freeze-substitution with SBF-SEM, followed by segmentation and reconstruction of the imaging volume using the freely accessible software IMOD, we created 3D models of the series of cytological events that occur during the susceptible interaction. We found that the host cell membranes underwent massive expansion to accommodate the rapidly growing intracellular hypha. As the fungal infection proceeded from the biotrophic to the necrotrophic stage, the host cell membranes went through increasing levels of disintegration culminating in host cell death. Intriguingly, we documented autophagosomes in proximity to biotrophic hyphae using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and a concurrent increase in autophagic flux between early to mid/late biotrophic phase of the infection process. Occasionally, we observed osmiophilic bodies in the vicinity of biotrophic hyphae using TEM only and near necrotrophic hyphae under both TEM and SBF-SEM. Overall, we established a method for obtaining serial SBF-SEM images, each with a lateral () pixel resolution of 10 nm and an axial () resolution of 40 nm, that can be reconstructed into interactive 3D models using the IMOD. Application of this method to the pathosystem allowed us to more fully understand the spatial arrangement and morphological architecture of the fungal hyphae after they penetrate epidermal cells of cotyledons and the cytological changes the host cell undergoes as the infection progresses toward necrotrophy. [Formula: see text] Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY 4.0 International license.
Topics: Colletotrichum; Arabidopsis; Cotyledon; Plant Diseases; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; Host-Pathogen Interactions; Hyphae; Imaging, Three-Dimensional; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission
PubMed: 38148303
DOI: 10.1094/MPMI-05-23-0068-R -
Proceedings of the National Academy of... Jan 2024The neuron-to-neuron propagation of misfolded α-synuclein (αSyn) aggregates is thought to be key to the pathogenesis of synucleinopathies. Recent studies have shown...
The neuron-to-neuron propagation of misfolded α-synuclein (αSyn) aggregates is thought to be key to the pathogenesis of synucleinopathies. Recent studies have shown that extracellular αSyn aggregates taken up by the endosomal-lysosomal system can rupture the lysosomal vesicular membrane; however, it remains unclear whether lysosomal rupture leads to the transmission of αSyn aggregation. Here, we applied cell-based αSyn propagation models to show that ruptured lysosomes are the pathway through which exogenous αSyn aggregates transmit aggregation, and furthermore, this process was prevented by lysophagy, i.e., selective autophagy of damaged lysosomes. αSyn aggregates accumulated predominantly in lysosomes, causing their rupture, and seeded the aggregation of endogenous αSyn, initially around damaged lysosomes. Exogenous αSyn aggregates induced the accumulation of LC3 on lysosomes. This LC3 accumulation was not observed in cells in which a key regulator of autophagy, RB1CC1/FIP200, was knocked out and was confirmed as lysophagy by transmission electron microscopy. Importantly, RB1CC1/FIP200-deficient cells treated with αSyn aggregates had increased numbers of ruptured lysosomes and enhanced propagation of αSyn aggregation. Furthermore, various types of lysosomal damage induced using lysosomotropic reagents, depletion of lysosomal enzymes, or more toxic species of αSyn fibrils also exacerbated the propagation of αSyn aggregation, and impaired lysophagy and lysosomal membrane damage synergistically enhanced propagation. These results indicate that lysophagy prevents exogenous αSyn aggregates from escaping the endosomal-lysosomal system and transmitting aggregation to endogenous cytosolic αSyn via ruptured lysosomal vesicles. Our findings suggest that the progression and severity of synucleinopathies are associated with damage to lysosomal membranes and impaired lysophagy.
Topics: Humans; alpha-Synuclein; Macroautophagy; Synucleinopathies; Parkinson Disease; Lysosomes
PubMed: 38147546
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2312306120 -
Journal of Fungi (Basel, Switzerland) Dec 2023DNA damage activates the DNA damage response and autophagy in ; however, the relationship between the DNA damage response and DNA damage-induced autophagy in remains...
DNA damage activates the DNA damage response and autophagy in ; however, the relationship between the DNA damage response and DNA damage-induced autophagy in remains unclear. Mec1-Rad53 signaling is a critical pathway in the DNA damage response, but its role in DNA damage-induced autophagy and pathogenicity in remains to be further explored. In this study, we compared the function of autophagy-related (Atg) proteins in DNA damage-induced autophagy and traditional macroautophagy and explored the role of Mec1-Rad53 signaling in regulating DNA damage-induced autophagy and pathogenicity. We found that core Atg proteins are required for these two types of autophagy, while the function of Atg17 is slightly different. Our results showed that Mec1-Rad53 signaling specifically regulates DNA damage-induced autophagy but has no effect on macroautophagy. The recruitment of Atg1 and Atg13 to phagophore assembly sites (PAS) was significantly inhibited in the Δ/Δ and Δ/Δ strains. The formation of autophagic bodies was obviously affected in the Δ/Δ and Δ/Δ strains. We found that DNA damage does not induce mitophagy and ER autophagy. We also identified two regulators of DNA damage-induced autophagy, Psp2 and Dcp2, which regulate DNA damage-induced autophagy by affecting the protein levels of Atg1, Atg13, Mec1, and Rad53. The deletion of Mec1 or Rad53 significantly reduces the ability of to systematically infect mice and colonize the kidneys, and it makes more susceptible to being killed by macrophages.
PubMed: 38132782
DOI: 10.3390/jof9121181 -
Autophagy Reports Aug 2023Macroautophagy/autophagy is a degradative pathway that plays an important role in maintaining cellular homeostasis in eukaryotes. During autophagy, cisternal...
Macroautophagy/autophagy is a degradative pathway that plays an important role in maintaining cellular homeostasis in eukaryotes. During autophagy, cisternal compartments called phagophores are generated to sequester intracellular components; these structures mature into autophagosomes, which deliver the cargo into lysosomes/vacuoles for degradation. Numerous autophagy-related (Atg) proteins are part of the core machinery that mediates autophagosome biogenesis. Atg9, a lipid scramblase and the only multispanning transmembrane protein among the core Atg machinery, traffics between cytoplasmic reservoirs and the phagophore assembly site (PAS) to provide membranes, recruit other Atg proteins and rearrange lipids on the phagophore membrane. However, the factors mediating Atg9 trafficking remain to be fully understood. In our recent study, we found that the yeast dynamin-like GTPase Vps1 (vacuolar protein sorting 1) is involved in autophagy and is important for Atg9 transport to the PAS. Moreover, we showed that Vps1 function in autophagy requires its GTPase and oligomerization activities. Interestingly, specific mutations in DNM2 (dynamin 2), one of the human homologs of Vps1 that have been linked with specific human diseases such as microcytic anemia and Charcot-Marie-Tooth, also impairs Atg9 transport to the PAS, suggesting that a defect in autophagy may underlay the pathophysiology of these severe human pathologies.
PubMed: 38107506
DOI: 10.1080/27694127.2023.2247309 -
Trends in Cell Biology Dec 2023Autophagy is a self-catabolic process through which cellular components are delivered to lysosomes for degradation. There are three types of autophagy, i.e.,... (Review)
Review
Autophagy is a self-catabolic process through which cellular components are delivered to lysosomes for degradation. There are three types of autophagy, i.e., macroautophagy, chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA), and microautophagy. In macroautophagy, a portion of the cytoplasm is wrapped by the autophagosome, which then fuses with lysosomes and delivers the engulfed cytoplasm for degradation. In CMA, the translocation of cytosolic substrates to the lysosomal lumen is directly across the limiting membrane of lysosomes. In microautophagy, lytic organelles, including endosomes or lysosomes, take up a portion of the cytoplasm directly. Although macroautophagy has been investigated extensively, microautophagy has received much less attention. Nonetheless, it has become evident that microautophagy plays a variety of cellular roles from yeast to mammals. Here we review the very recent updates of microautophagy. In particular, we focus on the feature of the degradative substrates and the molecular machinery that mediates microautophagy.
PubMed: 38104013
DOI: 10.1016/j.tcb.2023.11.005