Mucolipidosis type IV: the importance of functional lysosomes for efficient autophagy

Mucolipidosis IV (MLIV) is a lysosomal storage disorder characterized by severe neurological and ophthalmologic abnormalities. In contrast with most lysosomal storage disorders, which are attributed to the absence of specific lysosomal hydrolases, accumulation of material in MLIV results from defects in membrane transport along the late endocytic pathway. Mutations in MCOLN1 are the cause of MLIV; however, how the lack of MCOLN1 function ultimately leads to neurodegeneration remains largely unknown. We found that MCOLN1 is required for efficient fusion of both late endosomes and autophagosomes with lysosomes. Impaired autophagosome degradation results in accumulation of autophagosomes in MLIV fibroblasts. In addition, we found increased levels and aggregation of p62, suggesting that abnormal accumulation of ubiquitinated protein inclusions may contribute to the neurodegenerative phenotype observed in MLIV patients. These findings corroborate recent evidence indicating that defects in autophagy may be a common feature of many neurodegenerative disorders.     

Lysosomal turnover, but not a cellular level, of endogenous LC3 is a marker for autophagy

During starvation-induced autophagy in mammals, autophagosomes form and fuse with lysosomes, leading to the degradation of the intra-autophagosomal contents by lysosomal proteases. During the formation of autophagosomes, LC3 is lipidated, and this LC3-phospholipid conjugate (LC3-II) is localized on autophagosomes and autolysosomes. While intra-autophagosomal LC3-II may be degraded by lysosomal hydrolases, recent studies have regarded LC3-II accumulation as marker of autophagy. The effect of lysosomal turnover of endogenous LC3-II in this process, however, has not been considered. We therefore investigated the lysosomal turnover of endogenous LC3-II during starvation-induced autophagy using E64d and pepstatin A, which inhibit lysosomal proteases, including cathepsins B, D and L. We found that endogenous LC3-II significantly accumulated in the presence of E64d and pepstatin A under starvation conditions, increasing about 3.5 fold in HEK293 cells and about 6.7 fold in HeLa cells compared with that in their absence, whereas the amount of LC3-II in their absence is cell-line dependent. Morphological analyses indicated that endogenous LC3-positive puncta and autolysosomes increased in HeLa cells under starvation conditions in the presence of these inhibitors. These results indicate that endogenous LC3-II is considerably degraded by lysosomal hydrolases after formation of autolysosomes, and suggest that lysosomal turnover, not a transient amount, of this protein reflects starvation-induced autophagic activity.     

The essential role of early endosomes in autophagy is revealed by loss of COPI function

The role of early endosomes in the maturation of autophagosomes and autophagy has been inferred from morphological data accumulated in several cell models. Through the inhibition of early endosome function, by loss of COPI using siRNA depletion, we have found that early endosomes, and fusion of autophagosomes with functional early endosomes are essential for autophagy. Our results support the sequential, stepwise maturation of autophagosomes via fusion with the early endosomes, late endosomes and lysosomal compartments.     

Impaired autophagy flux is associated with neuronal cell death after traumatic brain injury

Dysregulation of autophagy contributes to neuronal cell death in several neurodegenerative and lysosomal storage diseases. Markers of autophagy are also increased after traumatic brain injury (TBI), but its mechanisms and function are not known. Following controlled cortical impact (CCI) brain injury in GFP-Lc3 (green fluorescent protein-LC3) transgenic mice, we observed accumulation of autophagosomes in ipsilateral cortex and hippocampus between 1 and 7 d. This accumulation was not due to increased initiation of autophagy but rather to a decrease in clearance of autophagosomes, as reflected by accumulation of the autophagic substrate SQSTM1/p62 (sequestosome 1). This was confirmed by ex vivo studies, which demonstrated impaired autophagic flux in brain slices from injured as compared to control animals. Increased SQSTM1 peaked at d 1–3 but resolved by d 7, suggesting that the defect in autophagy flux is temporary. The early impairment of autophagy is at least in part caused by lysosomal dysfunction, as evidenced by lower protein levels and enzymatic activity of CTSD (cathepsin D). Furthermore, immediately after injury both autophagosomes and SQSTM1 accumulated predominantly in neurons. This was accompanied by appearance of SQSTM1 and ubiquitin-positive puncta in the affected cells, suggesting that, similar to the situation observed in neurodegenerative diseases, impaired autophagy may contribute to neuronal injury. Consistently, GFP-LC3 and SQSTM1 colocalized with markers of both caspase-dependent and caspase-independent cell death in neuronal cells proximal to the injury site. Taken together, our data indicated for the first time that autophagic clearance is impaired early after TBI due to lysosomal dysfunction, and correlates with neuronal cell death.     

Lysosomal Turnover,but Not a Cellular Level,of Endogenous LC3 is a Marker for Autophagy

During starvation-induced autophagy in mammals, autophagosomes form and fuse with lysosomes, leading to the degradation of the intra-autophagosomal contents by lysosomal proteases. During the formation of autophagosomes, LC3 is lipidated, and this LC3-phospholipid conjugate (LC3-II) is localized on autophagosomes and autolysosomes. While intra-autophagosomal LC3-II may be degraded by lysosomal hydrolases, recent studies have regarded LC3-II accumulation as marker of autophagy. The effect of lysosomal turnover of endogenous LC3-II in this process, however, has not been considered. We therefore investigated the lysosomal turnover of endogenous LC3-II during starvation-induced autophagy using E64d and pepstatin A, which inhibit lysosomal proteases, including cathepsins B, D, and L. We found that endogenous LC3-II significantly accumulated in the presence of E64d and pepstatin A under starvation conditions, increasing about 3.5 fold in HEK293 cells and about 6.7 fold in HeLa cells compared with that in their absence, whereas the amount of LC3-II in their absence is cell-line dependent. Morphological analyses indicated that endogenous LC3-positive puncta and autolysosomes increased in HeLa cells under starvation conditions in the presence of these inhibitors. These results indicate that endogenous LC3-II is considerably degraded by lysosomal hydrolases after formation of autolysosomes, and suggest that lysosomal turnover, not a transient amount, of this protein reflects starvation-induced autophagic activity.     

Impaired autophagy flux is associated with neuronal cell death after traumatic brain injury

Dysregulation of autophagy contributes to neuronal cell death in several neurodegenerative and lysosomal storage diseases. Markers of autophagy are also increased after traumatic brain injury (TBI), but its mechanisms and function are not known. Following controlled cortical impact (CCI) brain injury in GFP-Lc3 (green fluorescent protein-LC3) transgenic mice, we observed accumulation of autophagosomes in ipsilateral cortex and hippocampus between 1 and 7 d. This accumulation was not due to increased initiation of autophagy but rather to a decrease in clearance of autophagosomes, as reflected by accumulation of the autophagic substrate SQSTM1/p62 (sequestosome 1). This was confirmed by ex vivo studies, which demonstrated impaired autophagic flux in brain slices from injured as compared to control animals. Increased SQSTM1 peaked at d 1–3 but resolved by d 7, suggesting that the defect in autophagy flux is temporary. The early impairment of autophagy is at least in part caused by lysosomal dysfunction, as evidenced by lower protein levels and enzymatic activity of CTSD (cathepsin D). Furthermore, immediately after injury both autophagosomes and SQSTM1 accumulated predominantly in neurons. This was accompanied by appearance of SQSTM1 and ubiquitin-positive puncta in the affected cells, suggesting that, similar to the situation observed in neurodegenerative diseases, impaired autophagy may contribute to neuronal injury. Consistently, GFP-LC3 and SQSTM1 colocalized with markers of both caspase-dependent and caspase-independent cell death in neuronal cells proximal to the injury site. Taken together, our data indicated for the first time that autophagic clearance is impaired early after TBI due to lysosomal dysfunction, and correlates with neuronal cell death.     

Mucolipidosis type IV: The importance of functional lysosomes for efficient autophagy

Mucolipidosis IV (MLIV) is a lysosomal storage disorder characterized by severe neurological and ophthalmologic abnormalities. In contrast with most lysosomal storage disorders, which are attributed to the absence of specific lysosomal hydrolases, accumulation of material in MLIV results from defects in membrane transport along the late endocytic pathway. Mutations in MCOLN1 are the cause of MLIV; however, how lack of MCOLN1 function ultimately leads to neurodegeneration remains largely unknown. We found that MCOLN1 is required for efficient fusion of both late endosomes and autophagosomes with lysosomes. Impaired autophagosome degradation results in accumulation of autophagosomes in MLIV fibroblasts. In addition, we found increased levels and aggregation of p62, suggesting that abnormal accumulation of ubiquitinated protein inclusions may contribute to the neurodegenerative phenotype observed in MLIV patients. These findings corroborate recent evidence indicating that defects in autophagy may be a common feature of many neurodegenerative disorders.

Addendum to: Vergarajauregui S, Connelly PS, Daniels MP, and Puertollano R. Autophagic dysfunction in mucolipidosis type IV patients. Hum Mol Genet 2008; DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddn174.     

Lysosomal storage and impaired autophagy lead to inflammasome activation in Gaucher macrophages

Gaucher disease, the inherited deficiency of lysosomal glucocerebrosidase, is characterized by the presence of glucosylcer‐amide macrophages, the accumulation of glucosylceramide in lysosomes and the secretion of inflammatory cytokines. However, the connection between this lysosomal storage and inflammation is not clear. Studying macrophages derived from peripheral monocytes from patients with type 1 Gaucher disease with genotype N370S/N370S, we confirmed an increased secretion of interleukins IL‐1β and IL‐6. In addition, we found that activation of the inflammasome, a multiprotein complex that activates caspase‐1, led to the maturation of IL‐1β in Gaucher macrophages. We show that inflammasome activation in these cells is the result of impaired autophagy. Treatment with the small‐molecule glucocerebrosidase chaperone NCGC758 reversed these defects, inducing autophagy and reducing IL‐1β secretion, confirming the role of the deficiency of lysosomal glucocerebrosidase in these processes. We found that in Gaucher macrophages elevated levels of the autophagic adaptor p62 prevented the delivery of inflammasomes to autophagosomes. This increase in p62 led to activation of p65‐NF‐kB in the nucleus, promoting the expression of inflammatory cytokines and the secretion of IL‐1β. This newly elucidated mechanism ties lysosomal dysfunction to inflammasome activation, and may contribute to the massive organomegaly, bone involvement and increased susceptibility to certain malignancies seen in Gaucher disease. Moreover, this link between lysosomal storage, impaired autophagy, and inflammation may have implications relevant to both Parkinson disease and the aging process. Defects in these basic cellular processes may also provide new therapeutic targets.     

TMEM41B is a novel regulator of autophagy and lipid mobilization

Autophagy maintains cellular homeostasis by targeting damaged organelles, pathogens, or misfolded protein aggregates for lysosomal degradation. The autophagic process is initiated by the formation of autophagosomes, which can selectively enclose cargo via autophagy cargo receptors. A machinery of well‐characterized autophagy‐related proteins orchestrates the biogenesis of autophagosomes; however, the origin of the required membranes is incompletely understood. Here, we have applied sensitized pooled CRISPR screens and identify the uncharacterized transmembrane protein TMEM41B as a novel regulator of autophagy. In the absence of TMEM41B, autophagosome biogenesis is stalled, LC3 accumulates at WIPI2‐ and DFCP1‐positive isolation membranes, and lysosomal flux of autophagy cargo receptors and intracellular bacteria is impaired. In addition to defective autophagy, TMEM41B knockout cells display significantly enlarged lipid droplets and reduced mobilization and β‐oxidation of fatty acids. Immunostaining and interaction proteomics data suggest that TMEM41B localizes to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Taken together, we propose that TMEM41B is a novel ER‐localized regulator of autophagosome biogenesis and lipid mobilization.     

The role of autophagy in the pathogenesis of glycogen storage disease type II (GSDII)

Regulated removal of proteins and organelles by autophagy-lysosome system is critical for muscle homeostasis. Excessive activation of autophagy-dependent degradation contributes to muscle atrophy and cachexia. Conversely, inhibition of autophagy causes accumulation of protein aggregates and abnormal organelles, leading to myofiber degeneration and myopathy. Defects in lysosomal function result in severe muscle disorders such as Pompe (glycogen storage disease type II (GSDII)) disease, characterized by an accumulation of autophagosomes. However, whether autophagy is detrimental or not in muscle function of Pompe patients is unclear. We studied infantile and late-onset GSDII patients and correlated impairment of autophagy with muscle wasting. We also monitored autophagy in patients who received recombinant α-glucosidase. Our data show that infantile and late-onset patients have different levels of autophagic flux, accumulation of p62-positive protein aggregates and expression of atrophy-related genes. Although the infantile patients show impaired autophagic function, the late-onset patients display an interesting correlation among autophagy impairment, atrophy and disease progression. Moreover, reactivation of autophagy in vitro contributes to acid α-glucosidase maturation in both healthy and diseased myotubes. Together, our data suggest that autophagy protects myofibers from disease progression and atrophy in late-onset patients.     

Accumulation of undegraded autophagosomes by expression of dominant-negative STX17 (syntaxin 17) mutants

Macroautophagy/autophagy, which is one of the main degradation systems in the cell, is mediated by a specialized organelle, the autophagosome. Purification of autophagosomes before fusion with lysosomes is important for both mechanistic and physiological studies of the autophagosome. Here, we report a simple method to accumulate undigested autophagosomes. Overexpression of the autophagosomal Qa-SNARE STX17 (syntaxin 17) lacking the N-terminal domain (NTD) or N-terminally tagged GFP-STX17 causes accumulation of autophagosomes. A HeLa cell line, which expresses GFP-STX17ΔNTD or full-length GFP-STX17 under the control of the tetracycline-responsive promoter, accumulates a large number of undigested autophagosomes devoid of lysosomal markers or early autophagy factors upon treatment with doxycycline. Using this inducible cell line, nascent autophagosomes can be easily purified by OptiPrep density-gradient centrifugation and immunoprecipitation. This novel method should be useful for further characterization of nascent autophagosomes.     

基于自噬溶酶体形成机制调控缺血性脑卒中后神经元自噬流

脑卒中是由脑血管阻塞或出血引发的急性脑血管病，约84%的临床脑卒中患者由脑缺血引起。研究表明，自噬广泛参与并显著影响脑卒中病理生理进程。自噬是一个将陈旧蛋白质、损伤细胞器及多余胞质组分等呈递给溶酶体进行降解的代谢过程，其包括自噬的激活、自噬体的形成和成熟、自噬体与溶酶体融合、自噬产物在自噬溶酶体内消化和降解等过程。自噬流通常被定义为自噬/溶酶体信号机制。最近发现，自噬流障碍是导致缺血性脑卒中后神经元损伤的重要原因，而在自噬过程中任一步骤发生障碍均可导致自噬流损伤。本文重点对自噬体-溶酶体融合的机制，以及该机制在缺血性脑卒中后发生障碍的致病机理进行详细阐述，以期基于自噬体-溶酶体融合机制对神经元自噬流进行调节，进而诱导缺血性脑卒中后的神经保护。本文可为脑卒中病理机制研究指明方向，为脑卒中治疗探寻新的线索。     

Lysosomes in iron metabolism,ageing and apoptosis

The lysosomal compartment is essential for a variety of cellular functions, including the normal turnover of most long-lived proteins and all organelles. The compartment consists of numerous acidic vesicles (pH ∼4 to 5) that constantly fuse and divide. It receives a large number of hydrolases (∼50) from the trans-Golgi network, and substrates from both the cells’ outside (heterophagy) and inside (autophagy). Many macromolecules contain iron that gives rise to an iron-rich environment in lysosomes that recently have degraded such macromolecules. Iron-rich lysosomes are sensitive to oxidative stress, while ‘resting’ lysosomes, which have not recently participated in autophagic events, are not. The magnitude of oxidative stress determines the degree of lysosomal destabilization and, consequently, whether arrested growth, reparative autophagy, apoptosis, or necrosis will follow. Heterophagy is the first step in the process by which immunocompetent cells modify antigens and produce antibodies, while exocytosis of lysosomal enzymes may promote tumor invasion, angiogenesis, and metastasis. Apart from being an essential turnover process, autophagy is also a mechanism by which cells will be able to sustain temporary starvation and rid themselves of intracellular organisms that have invaded, although some pathogens have evolved mechanisms to prevent their destruction. Mutated lysosomal enzymes are the underlying cause of a number of lysosomal storage diseases involving the accumulation of materials that would be the substrate for the corresponding hydrolases, were they not defective. The normal, low-level diffusion of hydrogen peroxide into iron-rich lysosomes causes the slow formation of lipofuscin in long-lived postmitotic cells, where it occupies a substantial part of the lysosomal compartment at the end of the life span. This seems to result in the diversion of newly produced lysosomal enzymes away from autophagosomes, leading to the accumulation of malfunctioning mitochondria and proteins with consequent cellular dysfunction. If autophagy were a perfect turnover process, postmitotic ageing and several age-related neurodegenerative diseases would, perhaps, not take place.     

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.     

Inhibitory Effect of mTOR Activator MHY1485 on Autophagy: Suppression of Lysosomal Fusion

Autophagy is a major degradative process responsible for the disposal of cytoplasmic proteins and dysfunctional organelles via the lysosomal pathway. During the autophagic process, cells form double-membraned vesicles called autophagosomes that sequester disposable materials in the cytoplasm and finally fuse with lysosomes. In the present study, we investigated the inhibition of autophagy by a synthesized compound, MHY1485, in a culture system by using Ac2F rat hepatocytes. Autophagic flux was measured to evaluate the autophagic activity. Autophagosomes were visualized in Ac2F cells transfected with AdGFP-LC3 by live-cell confocal microscopy. In addition, activity of mTOR, a major regulatory protein of autophagy, was assessed by western blot and docking simulation using AutoDock 4.2. In the result, treatment with MHY1485 suppressed the basal autophagic flux, and this inhibitory effect was clearly confirmed in cells under starvation, a strong physiological inducer of autophagy. The levels of p62 and beclin-1 did not show significant change after treatment with MHY1485. Decreased co-localization of autophagosomes and lysosomes in confocal microscopic images revealed the inhibitory effect of MHY1485 on lysosomal fusion during starvation-induced autophagy. These effects of MHY1485 led to the accumulation of LC3II and enlargement of the autophagosomes in a dose- and time- dependent manner. Furthermore, MHY1485 induced mTOR activation and correspondingly showed a higher docking score than PP242, a well-known ATP-competitive mTOR inhibitor, in docking simulation. In conclusion, MHY1485 has an inhibitory effect on the autophagic process by inhibition of fusion between autophagosomes and lysosomes leading to the accumulation of LC3II protein and enlarged autophagosomes. MHY1485 also induces mTOR activity, providing a possibility for another regulatory mechanism of autophagy by the MHY compound. The significance of this study is the finding of a novel inhibitor of autophagy with an mTOR activating effect.     

Lysosomal proteolysis in skeletal muscle

Lysosomal proteases are abundantly expressed in fetal muscles, but poorly represented in the adult skeletal muscles. The lysosomal proteolytic system is nonetheless stimulated in adult muscles in a variety of pathological conditions. Furthermore, recent investigations describe autophagosomes in muscle fibers in vitro and in vivo, and report myopathies with excessive autophagy. This review presents our current knowledge about the lysosomal proteolytic system and summarizes the evidences pertaining to the role of lysosomes and autophagosomes in muscle physiology and pathology.     

Vacuolin-1 potently and reversibly inhibits autophagosome-lysosome fusion by activating RAB5A

Autophagy is a catabolic lysosomal degradation process essential for cellular homeostasis and cell survival. Dysfunctional autophagy has been associated with a wide range of human diseases, e.g., cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. A large number of small molecules that modulate autophagy have been widely used to dissect this process and some of them, e.g., chloroquine (CQ), might be ultimately applied to treat a variety of autophagy-associated human diseases. Here we found that vacuolin-1 potently and reversibly inhibited the fusion between autophagosomes and lysosomes in mammalian cells, thereby inducing the accumulation of autophagosomes. Interestingly, vacuolin-1 was less toxic but at least 10-fold more potent in inhibiting autophagy compared with CQ. Vacuolin-1 treatment also blocked the fusion between endosomes and lysosomes, resulting in a defect in general endosomal-lysosomal degradation. Treatment of cells with vacuolin-1 alkalinized lysosomal pH and decreased lysosomal Ca²⁺ content. Besides marginally inhibiting vacuolar ATPase activity, vacuolin-1 treatment markedly activated RAB5A GTPase activity. Expression of a dominant negative mutant of RAB5A or RAB5A knockdown significantly inhibited vacuolin-1-induced autophagosome-lysosome fusion blockage, whereas expression of a constitutive active form of RAB5A suppressed autophagosome-lysosome fusion. These data suggest that vacuolin-1 activates RAB5A to block autophagosome-lysosome fusion. Vacuolin-1 and its analogs present a novel class of drug that can potently and reversibly modulate autophagy.     

Vacuolin-1 potently and reversibly inhibits autophagosome-lysosome fusion by activating RAB5A

Autophagy is a catabolic lysosomal degradation process essential for cellular homeostasis and cell survival. Dysfunctional autophagy has been associated with a wide range of human diseases, e.g., cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. A large number of small molecules that modulate autophagy have been widely used to dissect this process and some of them, e.g., chloroquine (CQ), might be ultimately applied to treat a variety of autophagy-associated human diseases. Here we found that vacuolin-1 potently and reversibly inhibited the fusion between autophagosomes and lysosomes in mammalian cells, thereby inducing the accumulation of autophagosomes. Interestingly, vacuolin-1 was less toxic but at least 10-fold more potent in inhibiting autophagy compared with CQ. Vacuolin-1 treatment also blocked the fusion between endosomes and lysosomes, resulting in a defect in general endosomal-lysosomal degradation. Treatment of cells with vacuolin-1 alkalinized lysosomal pH and decreased lysosomal Ca²⁺ content. Besides marginally inhibiting vacuolar ATPase activity, vacuolin-1 treatment markedly activated RAB5A GTPase activity. Expression of a dominant negative mutant of RAB5A or RAB5A knockdown significantly inhibited vacuolin-1-induced autophagosome-lysosome fusion blockage, whereas expression of a constitutive active form of RAB5A suppressed autophagosome-lysosome fusion. These data suggest that vacuolin-1 activates RAB5A to block autophagosome-lysosome fusion. Vacuolin-1 and its analogs present a novel class of drug that can potently and reversibly modulate autophagy.     

Lysosomes and oxidative stress in aging and apoptosis

The lysosomal compartment consists of numerous acidic vesicles (pH approximately 4-5) that constantly fuse and divide. It receives a large number of hydrolases from the trans-Golgi network, while their substrates arrive from both the cell's outside (heterophagy) and inside (autophagy). Many macromolecules under degradation inside lysosomes contain iron that, when released in labile form, makes lysosomes sensitive to oxidative stress. The magnitude of generated lysosomal destabilization determines if reparative autophagy, apoptosis, or necrosis will follow. Apart from being an essential turnover process, autophagy is also a mechanism for cells to repair inflicted damage, and to survive temporary starvation. The inevitable diffusion of hydrogen peroxide into iron-rich lysosomes causes the slow oxidative formation of lipofuscin in long-lived postmitotic cells, where it finally occupies a substantial part of the volume of the lysosomal compartment. This seems to result in a misdirection of lysosomal enzymes away from autophagosomes, resulting in depressed autophagy and the accumulation of malfunctioning mitochondria and proteins with consequent cellular dysfunction. This scenario might put aging into the category of autophagy disorders.