细胞自噬研究技术进展及其应用

在生理状态下,细胞通过自噬清除衰老细胞器和异常长寿蛋白质,维持自身结构和功能的衡定,参与胚胎发育、免疫调节和延长寿命。病理状态下细胞自噬水平显著升高,以耐受饥饿、缺血和凋亡。自噬功能障碍与某些慢性感染疾病、神经变性疾病、溶酶体贮积症和肿瘤等密切相关。掌握和合理应用自噬研究技术对于提高细胞自噬研究水平有着重要意义。该文对哺乳类细胞自噬研究技术进展及其应用作了概述。     

自噬体膜的来源

细胞自噬是指细胞通过自噬-溶酶体(autolysosome)降解变性蛋白聚集物和受损细胞器的过程. 自噬对于细胞内环境的稳态、物质的平衡、胚胎发育以及疾病的发生发挥重要作用. 在电镜下观察,自噬体膜是一个双层脂质膜结构. 细胞中因缺乏除了自噬相关蛋白9 (autophagy-related protein 9,ATG9)以外的自噬体膜相关蛋白,故难以确定自噬体膜的来源. 自噬体膜的来源也因此成为目前自噬研究领域的热点问题. 关于自噬体膜的来源,学术界存在两种观点：一种认为自噬体膜是细胞在自噬体组装位点(pre-autophagosomal structure, PAS)重新合成的;另一种观点则认为自噬体膜来源于细胞已有的某些细胞器(如内质网、高尔基体、内吞体、质膜和线粒体). 该文综述了近年有关自噬体膜来源于细胞已有的某些细胞器的研究进展,旨在为相关领域的研究提供参考.     

浮游植物细胞自噬作用特点及研究方法

自噬(Autophagy)是真核生物细胞中一类高度保守的、依赖于溶酶体或液泡途径对胞质蛋白和细胞器进行降解的生物学过程。细胞自噬除维持细胞稳态外,在细胞响应各种外界胁迫中也发挥重要作用。近年来,陆续发现浮游植物能够通过细胞自噬应答众多环境胁迫,并在浮游植物细胞中鉴定出了类似于哺乳动物细胞中的核心自噬功能单位。自噬作为一种独特的程序性细胞死亡(PCD)形式,对浮游植物遭受胁迫后的个体存活及种群延续具有至关重要的作用。因此,细胞自噬也将成为浮游植物研究领域的一个新的着力点。主要综述了浮游植物细胞中自噬的保守性、诱导因素、调控机制、自噬与凋亡的交互作用以及浮游植物自噬研究方法等研究进展。     

自噬在肝脏蛋白质和脂质代谢中的作用

自噬是一个通过降解细胞组分如细胞器和蛋白质等以维持细胞存活和功能的重要的溶酶体途径。肝脏作为新陈代谢的中枢器官,肝脏高度依赖于自噬以发挥正常功能并防止疾病发展。肝细胞自噬的改变参与肝损伤,脂肪肝等肝病的病理变化,以自噬为靶点寻求治疗各种肝病的方法已成为热点研究领域,但自噬在肝脏蛋白质和脂质代谢中的作用极其机制尚不清楚。本文对自噬在肝脏蛋白质和脂质代谢中的作用的最新进展进行综述。     

细胞自噬在干细胞中的研究进展

干细胞具有自我更新和分化成其他细胞类型的能力。一些因素如衰老和抗癌治疗等会引起毒性蛋白和受损细胞器在干细胞中堆积,严重影响干细胞的功能。细胞自噬是一条依赖溶酶体的蛋白质降解途径,负责清除胞质内异常的蛋白质聚集体和失去功能的细胞器,在维持细胞内稳态方面发挥重要的生理功能。近年来的研究表明,细胞自噬对干细胞功能的维持非常重要,综述了细胞自噬的分子机制及其在干细胞中的作用的研究进展。     

自噬的分子细胞机制研究进展

自噬是真核细胞中进化上高度保守的、用于降解和回收利用细胞内生物大分子和受损细胞器的过程。自噬的完成依赖于正常的溶酶体功能,与机体的多种生理和病理过程密切相关。自噬研究已成为当前生命科学研究的热点,揭示自噬的发生机制、自噬与疾病发生的关系对预防与治疗多种人类重大疾病具有重要意义。该文旨在概括目前自噬的研究进展,重点介绍细胞自噬的发生机制及其与疾病的关系。     

Ctk1蛋白在自噬过程中的作用

细胞自噬是一种在真核生物中十分保守的溶酶体依赖性胞内降解途径,通过形成双层膜结构包裹细胞质内的生物大分子或者细胞器运送到溶酶体进行降解。在实验中发现,Ctk1蛋白对自噬过程有重要调节作用。Ctk1的缺失或者失活都会导致自噬过程不能正常发生,同时也会影响酵母CVT途径。自噬相关蛋白Atg3与Atg8的结合受到Ctk1的调控影响。因此,Ctk1在自噬过程中自噬体的形成中发挥了重要作用,揭示了Ctk1的新的功能作用。     

自体吞噬———Ⅱ型程序性死亡

自噬 (autophagy) 是广泛存在于真核细胞内的一种溶酶体依赖性的降解途径,在饥饿的条件下,它可以调节细胞内长寿命蛋白和细胞器的降解,降解产物再被细胞重新利用 . 因此自噬在细胞发育、细胞免疫、组织重塑及对环境适应等方面有着十分重要的作用 . 近来发现,自噬还参与降解病原微生物、抵御感染的过程,称之为异噬 . 对自噬的分子机制和调节以及其在生理病理过程中的作用进行相应讨论 .     

细胞自噬及真菌中自噬研究概述

细胞自噬是真核生物中广泛存在的、主要依赖于溶酶体或液泡的保守的降解途径,通过降解细胞内过多或异常的蛋白、细胞器等以维持正常的细胞功能。近10年来自噬研究方面的飞速进展显示出自噬与癌症、神经退行性疾病、衰老及心脏病等人类疾病相关。与此同时,自噬在丝状真菌的生长、形态和发育等方面发挥着重要作用,特别是在丝状真菌的细胞分化过程中,自噬起到了关键性作用,如致病性生长、程序性细胞死亡及孢子形成。本文主要论述了什么是自噬,自噬的检测方法及以真菌为对象的自噬研究进展。     

自噬与细胞代谢及疾病关系的研究进展

自噬是以细胞质空泡化为特征的依赖于溶酶体的一种降解途径,是真核细胞特有的普遍生命现象。自噬利用溶酶体降解自身损伤的细胞质和细胞器,降解产物可用于能量生成、新的蛋白质和质膜的合成,以供细胞代谢和老化损伤细胞成分的更新,维持细胞存活、分化、发育和内环境稳态。自噬广泛参与多种生理和病理过程。对自噬与细胞代谢及疾病发生的关系作一概述。     

Autophagy in lysosomal storage disorders

Lysosomes are ubiquitous intracellular organelles that have an acidic internal pH, and play crucial roles in cellular clearance. Numerous functions depend on normal lysosomes, including the turnover of cellular constituents, cholesterol homeostasis, downregulation of surface receptors, inactivation of pathogenic organisms, repair of the plasma membrane and bone remodeling. Lysosomal storage disorders (LSDs) are characterized by progressive accumulation of undigested macromolecules within the cell due to lysosomal dysfunction. As a consequence, many tissues and organ systems are affected, including brain, viscera, bone and cartilage. The progressive nature of phenotype development is one of the hallmarks of LSDs. In recent years biochemical and cell biology studies of LSDs have revealed an ample spectrum of abnormalities in a variety of cellular functions. These include defects in signaling pathways, calcium homeostasis, lipid biosynthesis and degradation and intracellular trafficking. Lysosomes also play a fundamental role in the autophagic pathway by fusing with autophagosomes and digesting their content. Considering the highly integrated function of lysosomes and autophagosomes it was reasonable to expect that lysosomal storage in LSDs would have an impact upon autophagy. The goal of this review is to provide readers with an overview of recent findings that have been obtained through analysis of the autophagic pathway in several types of LSDs, supporting the idea that LSDs could be seen primarily as “autophagy disorders.”     

Autophagy in lysosomal storage disorders

Lysosomes are ubiquitous intracellular organelles that have an acidic internal pH, and play crucial roles in cellular clearance. Numerous functions depend on normal lysosomes, including the turnover of cellular constituents, cholesterol homeostasis, downregulation of surface receptors, inactivation of pathogenic organisms, repair of the plasma membrane and bone remodeling. Lysosomal storage disorders (LSDs) are characterized by progressive accumulation of undigested macromolecules within the cell due to lysosomal dysfunction. As a consequence, many tissues and organ systems are affected, including brain, viscera, bone and cartilage. The progressive nature of phenotype development is one of the hallmarks of LSDs. In recent years biochemical and cell biology studies of LSDs have revealed an ample spectrum of abnormalities in a variety of cellular functions. These include defects in signaling pathways, calcium homeostasis, lipid biosynthesis and degradation and intracellular trafficking. Lysosomes also play a fundamental role in the autophagic pathway by fusing with autophagosomes and digesting their content. Considering the highly integrated function of lysosomes and autophagosomes it was reasonable to expect that lysosomal storage in LSDs would have an impact upon autophagy. The goal of this review is to provide readers with an overview of recent findings that have been obtained through analysis of the autophagic pathway in several types of LSDs, supporting the idea that LSDs could be seen primarily as "autophagy disorders."     

Cysteinyl leukotriene receptor 1 is a potent regulator of the endosomal-lysosomal system in the ARPE-19 retinal pigment epithelial cell line

The endosomal-lysosomal system is central for cell homeostasis and comprises the functions and dynamics of particular organelles including endosomes, lysosomes and autophagosomes. In previous studies, we found that the cysteinyl leukotriene receptor 1 (CysLTR1) regulates autophagy in the retinal pigment epithelial cell line ARPE-19 under basal cellular conditions. However, the underlying mechanism by which CysLTR1 regulates autophagy is unknown. Thus, in the present study, the effects of CysLTR1 inhibition on the endosomal-lysosomal system are analyzed in detail to identify the role of CysLTR1 in cell homeostasis and autophagy regulation. CysLTR1 inhibition in ARPE-19 cells by Zafirlukast, a CysLTR1 antagonist, depleted the lysosomal pool. Furthermore, CysLTR1 antagonization reduced endocytic capacity and internalization of epidermal growth factor and decreased levels of the transferrin receptor, CD71. Serum starvation abolished the effect of Zafirlukast on the autophagic flux, which identifies the endocytic regulation of serum components by CysLTR1 as an important autophagy-modulating mechanism. The role of CysLTR1 in inflammation and cell stress has been exceedingly studied, but its involvement in the endosomal-lysosomal pathway is largely unknown. This current study provides new insights into basal activity of CysLTR1 on cellular endocytosis and the subsequent impact on downstream processes like autophagy.     

Autophagy sequesters damaged lysosomes to control lysosomal biogenesis and kidney injury

Diverse causes, including pathogenic invasion or the uptake of mineral crystals such as silica and monosodium urate (MSU), threaten cells with lysosomal rupture, which can lead to oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis or necrosis. Here, we demonstrate that lysosomes are selectively sequestered by autophagy, when damaged by MSU, silica, or the lysosomotropic reagent L ‐Leucyl‐L‐leucine methyl ester (LLOMe). Autophagic machinery is recruited only on damaged lysosomes, which are then engulfed by autophagosomes. In an autophagy‐dependent manner, low pH and degradation capacity of damaged lysosomes are recovered. Under conditions of lysosomal damage, loss of autophagy causes inhibition of lysosomal biogenesis in vitro and deterioration of acute kidney injury in vivo. Thus, we propose that sequestration of damaged lysosomes by autophagy is indispensable for cellular and tissue homeostasis.     

Discovery of a novel type of autophagy targeting RNA

Regulated degradation of cellular components by lysosomes is essential to maintain biological homeostasis. In mammals, three forms of autophagy, macroautophagy, microautophagy and chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA), have been identified. Here, we showed a novel type of autophagy, in which RNA is taken up directly into lysosomes for degradation. This pathway, which we term “RNautophagy,” is ATP-dependent, and unlike CMA, is independent of HSPA8/Hsc70. LAMP2C, a lysosomal membrane protein, serves as a receptor for this pathway. The cytosolic tail of LAMP2C specifically binds to almost all total RNA derived from mouse brain. The cytosolic sequence of LAMP2C and its affinity for RNA are evolutionarily conserved from nematodes to humans. Our findings shed light on the mechanisms underlying RNA homeostasis in higher eukaryotes.     

The formation of autophagosomes during lysosomal defect: A new source of cytotoxicity

Macroautophagy/autophagy comprises autophagosome synthesis and lysosomal degradation. It is well known that lysosomal defects cause toxicity to cells. However, it has not been investigated previously if cytotoxicity is conferred by autophagosome formation during lysosomal defect. Recently, we found that the formation of autophagosomes in such conditions also causes cytotoxicity, in addition to lysosomal defect insults. We revealed that a partial reduction in autophagosome synthesis was beneficial for cell survival in cells bearing the autophagosome formation-based toxicity. Our study suggests that production/accumulation of autophagosomes during lysosomal defect directly induces cellular toxicity, and this process may be implicated in the pathological conditions where lysosomes are defective.     

Ubiquitin-coated nanodiamonds bind to autophagy receptors for entry into the selective autophagy pathway

Selective macroautophagy/autophagy plays a pivotal role in the processing of foreign pathogens and cellular components to maintain homeostasis in human cells. To date, numerous studies have demonstrated the uptake of nanoparticles by cells, but their intracellular processing through selective autophagy remains unclear. Here we show that carbon-based nanodiamonds (NDs) coated with ubiquitin (Ub) bind to autophagy receptors (SQSTM1 [sequestosome 1], OPTN [optineurin], and CALCOCO2/NDP52 [calcium binding and coiled-coil domain 2]) and are then linked to MAP1LC3/LC3 (microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3) for entry into the selective autophagy pathway. NDs are ultimately delivered to lysosomes. Ectopically expressed SQSTM1-green fluorescence protein (GFP) could bind to the Ub-coated NDs. By contrast, the Ub-associated domain mutant of SQSTM1 (ΔUBA)-GFP did not bind to the Ub-coated NDs. Chloroquine, an autophagy inhibitor, prevented the ND-containing autophagosomes from fusing with lysosomes. Furthermore, autophagy receptors OPTN and CALCOCO2/NDP52, involved in the processing of bacteria, were found to be involved in the selective autophagy of NDs. However, ND particles located in the lysosomes of cells did not induce mitotic blockage, senescence, or cell death. Single ND clusters in the lysosomes of cells were observed in the xenografted human lung tumors of nude mice. This study demonstrated for the first time that Ub-coated nanoparticles bind to autophagy receptors for entry into the selective autophagy pathway, facilitating their delivery to lysosomes.     

Delivering progranulin to neuronal lysosomes protects against excitotoxicity

Loss-of-function mutations in progranulin (GRN) are a major genetic cause of frontotemporal dementia (FTD), possibly due to loss of progranulin’s neurotrophic and anti-inflammatory effects. Progranulin promotes neuronal growth and protects against excitotoxicity and other forms of injury. It is unclear if these neurotrophic effects are mediated through cellular signaling or through promotion of lysosomal function. Progranulin is a secreted proprotein that may activate neurotrophic signaling through cell-surface receptors. However, progranulin is efficiently trafficked to lysosomes and is necessary for maintaining lysosomal function. To determine which of these mechanisms mediates progranulin’s protection against excitotoxicity, we generated lentiviral vectors expressing progranulin (PGRN) or lysosome-targeted progranulin (L-PGRN). L-PGRN was generated by fusing the LAMP-1 transmembrane and cytosolic domains to the C-terminus of progranulin. L-PGRN exhibited no detectable secretion, but was delivered to lysosomes and processed into granulins. PGRN and L-PGRN protected against NMDA excitotoxicity in rat primary cortical neurons, but L-PGRN had more consistent protective effects than PGRN. L-PGRN’s protective effects were likely mediated through the autophagy-lysosomal pathway. In control neurons, an excitotoxic dose of NMDA stimulated autophagy, and inhibiting autophagy with 3-methyladenine reduced excitotoxic cell death. L-PGRN blunted the autophagic response to NMDA and occluded the protective effect of 3-methyladenine. This was not due to a general impairment of autophagy, as L-PGRN increased basal autophagy and did not alter autophagy after nutrient starvation. These data show that progranulin’s protection against excitotoxicity does not require extracellular progranulin, but is mediated through lysosomes, providing a mechanistic link between progranulin’s lysosomal and neurotrophic effects.