IL‐17A‐producing T cells exacerbate fine particulate matter‐induced lung inflammation and fibrosis by inhibiting PI3K/Akt/mTOR‐mediated autophagy

Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the primary air pollutant that is able to induce airway injury. Compelling evidence has shown the involvement of IL‐17A in lung injury, while its contribution to PM2.5‐induced lung injury remains largely unknown. Here, we probed into the possible role of IL‐17A in mouse models of PM2.5‐induced lung injury. Mice were instilled with PM2.5 to construct a lung injury model. Flow cytometry was carried out to isolate γδT and Th17 cells. ELISA was adopted to detect the expression of inflammatory factors in the supernatant of lavage fluid. Primary bronchial epithelial cells (mBECs) were extracted, and the expression of TGF signalling pathway‐, autophagy‐ and PI3K/Akt/mTOR signalling pathway‐related proteins in mBECs was detected by immunofluorescence assay and Western blot analysis. The mitochondrial function was also evaluated. PM2.5 aggravated the inflammatory response through enhancing the secretion of IL‐17A by γδT/Th17 cells. Meanwhile, PM2.5 activated the TGF signalling pathway and induced EMT progression in bronchial epithelial cells, thereby contributing to pulmonary fibrosis. Besides, PM2.5 suppressed autophagy of bronchial epithelial cells by up‐regulating IL‐17A, which in turn activated the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signalling pathway. Furthermore, IL‐17A impaired the energy metabolism of airway epithelial cells in the PM2.5‐induced models. This study suggested that PM2.5 could inhibit autophagy of bronchial epithelial cells and promote pulmonary inflammation and fibrosis by inducing the secretion of IL‐17A in γδT and Th17 cells and regulating the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signalling pathway.     

DEPDC1 up‐regulates RAS expression to inhibit autophagy in lung adenocarcinoma cells

DEP domain containing 1(DEPDC1) is involved in the tumorigenesis of a variety of cancers. But its role in tumorigenesis of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is not fully understood. Here, we investigated the role and the underlying mechanisms of DEPDC1 in the development of LUAD. The expression and prognostic values of DEPDC1 in LUAD were analysed by using the data from public databases. Gene enrichment in TCGA LUAD was analysed using GSEA software with the pre‐defined gene sets. Cell proliferation, migration and invasion of A549 cells were examined with colony formation, Transwell and wound healing assays. The function of DEPDC1 in autophagy and RAS‐ERK1/2 signalling was determined with Western blot assay upon DEPDC1 knockdown and/or overexpression in A549, HCC827 and H1993 cells. The results demonstrated that DEPDC1 expression was up‐regulated in LUAD tissues, and its high expression was correlated with unfavourable prognosis. The data also showed that DEPDC1 knockdown impaired proliferation, migration and invasion of A549 cells. Most notably, the results showed that DEPDC1 up‐regulated RAS expression and thus enhanced ERK1/2 activity, through which DEPDC1 could inhibit autophagy. In conclusion, our study revealed that DEPDC1 is up‐regulated in LUAD tissues and plays an oncogenic role in LUAD, and that DEPDC1 inhibits autophagy through the RAS‐ERK1/2 signalling in A549, HCC827 and H1993 cells.     

Overexpression of FNTB and the activation of Ras induce hypertrophy and promote apoptosis and autophagic cell death in cardiomyocytes

Farnesyltransferase (FTase) is an important enzyme that catalyses the modification of protein isoprene downstream of the mevalonate pathway. Previous studies have shown that the tissue of the heart in the suprarenal abdominal aortic coarctation (AAC) group showed overexpression of FTaseβ (FNTB) and the activation of the downstream protein Ras was enhanced. FTase inhibitor (FTI) can alleviate myocardial fibrosis and partly improve cardiac remodelling in spontaneously hypertensive rats. However, the exact role and mechanism of FTase in myocardial hypertrophy and remodelling are not fully understood. Here, we used recombinant adenovirus to transfect neonatal rat ventricular cardiomyocytes to study the effect of FNTB overexpression on myocardial remodelling and explore potential mechanisms. The results showed that overexpression of FNTB induces neonatal rat ventricular myocyte hypertrophy and reduces the survival rate of cardiomyocytes. FNTB overexpression induced a decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential and increased apoptosis in cardiomyocytes. FNTB overexpression also promotes autophagosome formation and the accumulation of autophagy substrate protein, LC3II. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and mCherry‐GFP tandem fluorescent‐tagged LC3 (tfLC3) showed that FNTB overexpression can activate autophagy flux by enhancing autophagosome conversion to autophagolysosome. Overactivated autophagy flux can be blocked by bafilomycin A1. In addition, salirasib (a Ras farnesylcysteine mimetic) can alleviate the hypertrophic phenotype of cardiomyocytes and inhibit the up‐regulation of apoptosis and autophagy flux induced by FNTB overexpression. These results suggest that FTase may have a potential role in future treatment strategies to limit the adverse consequences of cardiac hypertrophy, cardiac dysfunction and heart failure.     

Aldosterone enhances high phosphate–induced vascular calcification through inhibition of AMPK‐mediated autophagy

It remains unclear whether the necessity of calcified mellitus induced by high inorganic phosphate (Pi) is required and the roles of autophagy plays in aldosterone (Aldo)‐enhanced vascular calcification (VC) and vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) osteogenic differentiation. In the present study, we found that Aldo enhanced VC both in vivo and in vitro only in the presence of high Pi, alongside with increased expression of VSMC osteogenic proteins (BMP2, Runx2 and OCN) and decreased expression of VSMC contractile proteins (α‐SMA, SM22α and smoothelin). However, these effects were blocked by mineralocorticoid receptor inhibitor, spironolactone. In addition, the stimulatory effects of Aldo on VSMC calcification were further accelerated by the autophagy inhibitor, 3‐MA, and were counteracted by the autophagy inducer, rapamycin. Moreover, inhibiting adenosine monophosphate‐activated protein kinase (AMPK) by Compound C attenuated Aldo/MR‐enhanced VC. These results suggested that Aldo facilitates high Pi‐induced VSMC osteogenic phenotypic switch and calcification through MR‐mediated signalling pathways that involve AMPK‐dependent autophagy, which provided new insights into Aldo excess‐associated VC in various settings.     

Allopurinol reduces oxidative stress and activates Nrf2/p62 to attenuate diabetic cardiomyopathy in rats

Allopurinol (ALP) attenuates oxidative stress and diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM), but the mechanism is unclear. Activation of nuclear factor erythroid 2‐related factor 2 (Nrf2) following the disassociation with its repressor Keap1 under oxidative stress can maintain inner redox homeostasis and attenuate DCM with concomitant attenuation of autophagy. We postulated that ALP treatment may activate Nrf2 to mitigate autophagy over‐activation and consequently attenuate DCM. Streptozotocin‐induced type 1 diabetic rats were untreated or treated with ALP (100 mg/kg/d) for 4 weeks and terminated after heart function measurements by echocardiography and pressure‐volume conductance system. Cardiomyocyte H9C2 cells infected with Nrf2 siRNA or not were incubated with high glucose (HG, 25 mmol/L) concomitantly with ALP treatment. Cell viability, lactate dehydrogenase, 15‐F2t‐Isoprostane and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were measured with colorimetric enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays. ROS, apoptosis, was assessed by dihydroethidium staining and TUNEL, respectively. The Western blot and qRT‐PCR were used to assess protein and mRNA variations. Diabetic rats showed significant reductions in heart rate (HR), left ventricular eject fraction (LVEF), stroke work (SW) and cardiac output (CO), left ventricular end‐systolic volume (LVVs) as compared to non‐diabetic control and ALP improved or normalized HR, LVEF, SW, CO and LVVs in diabetic rats (all P < .05). Hearts of diabetic rats displayed excessive oxidative stress manifested as increased levels of 15‐F2t‐Isoprostane and superoxide anion production, increased apoptotic cell death and cardiomyocytes autophagy that were concomitant with reduced expressions of Nrf2, heme oxygenase‐1 (HO‐1) and Keap1. ALP reverted all the above‐mentioned diabetes‐induced biochemical changes except that it did not affect the levels of Keap1. In vitro, ALP increased Nrf2 and reduced the hyperglycaemia‐induced increases of H9C2 cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, oxidative stress, apoptosis and autophagy, and enhanced cellular viability. Nrf2 gene silence cancelled these protective effects of ALP in H9C2 cells. Activation of Nrf2 subsequent to the suppression of Keap1 and the mitigation of autophagy over‐activation may represent major mechanisms whereby ALP attenuates DCM.     

Sestrin 2 attenuates sepsis‐associated encephalopathy through the promotion of autophagy in hippocampal neurons

Sepsis‐associated encephalopathy (SAE) has typically been associated with a poor prognosis. Although sestrin 2 (SESN2) plays a crucial role in metabolic regulation and the stress response, its expression and functional roles in SAE are still unclear. In the present study, SAE was established in mice through caecal ligation and puncture (CLP). The adeno‐associated virus 2 (AAV2)‐mediated SESN2 expression (ie overexpression and knockdown) system was injected into the hippocampi of mice with SAE, and subsequently followed by electron microscopic analysis, the Morris water maze task and pathological examination. Our results demonstrated an increase of SESN2 in the hippocampal neurons of mice with SAE, 2‐16 hours following CLP. AAV2‐mediated ectopic expression of SESN2 attenuated brain damage and loss of learning and memory functions in mice with SAE, and these effects were associated with lower pro‐inflammatory cytokines in the hippocampus. Mechanistically, SESN2 promoted unc‐51‐like kinase 1 (ULK1)‐dependent autophagy in hippocampal neurons through the activation of the AMPK/mTOR signalling pathway. Finally, AMPK inhibition by SBI‐0206965 blocked SESN2‐mediated attenuation of SAE in mice. In conclusion, our findings demonstrated that SESN2 might be a novel pharmacological intervention strategy for SAE treatment through promotion of ULK1‐dependent autophagy in hippocampal neurons.     

Fibroblast growth factor 21 alleviates acute pancreatitis via activation of the Sirt1‐autophagy signalling pathway

Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21), a metabolic hormone with pleiotropic effects on glucose and lipid metabolism and insulin sensitivity, alleviates the process of acute pancreatitis (AP). However, its mechanism remains elusive. The pathological and physiological characteristics of FGF21 are observed in both patients with AP and cerulein‐induced AP models, and the mechanisms of FGF21 in response to AP are investigated by evaluating the impact of autophagy in FGF21‐treated mice and cultured pancreatic cells. Circulating levels of FGF21 significantly increase in both AP patients and cerulein‐induced AP mice, which is accompanied by the change of pathology in pancreatic injury. Replenishment of FGF21 distinctly reverses cerulein‐induced pancreatic injury and improves cerulein‐induced autophagy damage in vivo and in vitro. Mechanically, FGF21 acts on pancreatic acinar cells to up‐regulate Sirtuin‐1 (Sirt1) expression, which in turn repairs impaired autophagy and removes damaged organs. In addition, blockage of Sirt1 accelerates cerulein‐induced pancreatic injury and weakens the regulative effect in FGF21‐activated autophagy in mice. These results showed that FGF21 protects against cerulein‐induced AP by activation of Sirtuin‐1‐autophagy axis.     

过表达TRAF6对人急性髓系白血病细胞自噬活性的影响

该文旨在探讨过表达肿瘤坏死因子受体相关因子6(tumor necrosis factor receptorassociated factor 6,TRAF6)对人急性髓系白血病(acute myeloid leukemia,AML)细胞自噬活性的影响。利用基因表达数据库GEO分析TRAF6在AML患者白血病细胞中的mRNA表达水平。通过癌症基因组图谱TCGA分析TRAF6表达与AML患者临床预后的关系。将TRAF6重组质粒载体转染人AML细胞系(KG-1a和THP-1),采用自噬激活剂雷帕霉素(Rapamycin)和自噬相关抑制剂3-甲基腺嘌呤(3-methyladenine,3-MA)、巴弗洛霉素A1(bafilomycin A1,Baf-A1)分别处理AML细胞。荧光定量PCR、蛋白免疫印迹技术检测过表达TRAF6后白血病细胞自噬标志物(LC3和p62)mRNA和蛋白水平;免疫荧光方法检测LC3绿色荧光斑点结构(puncta);流式细胞术检测细胞凋亡率;CCK-8实验检测AML细胞的体外增殖能力。结果显示,AML患者白血病细胞高表达TRAF6(P<0.01);TRAF6高表达的白血病患者总体生存率和无事件生存率均较TRAF6低表达组显著降低(P=0.01)。TRAF6重组质粒转染能够显著增加两株AML细胞系中TRAF6的mRNA和蛋白水平(P<0.05)。Rapamycin处理能够激活AML细胞系自噬水平,过表达TRAF6后AML细胞LC3 mRNA和LC3II蛋白水平表达上调(P<0.05)、p62 mRNA和蛋白水平下调(P<0.05)以及LC3 puncta聚集增多。用Baf-A1处理以阻断过表达TRAF6的白血病细胞系中的自噬流后,LC3II蛋白表达水平显著提高(P<0.05)。3-MA处理过表达TRAF6的白血病细胞后,LC3II蛋白表达减少、p62蛋白表达增加(P<0.05)。此外,过表达TRAF6降低白血病细胞凋亡率和促进细胞的体外增殖(P<0.001),而过表达TRAF6后联合3-MA处理则可逆转TRAF6对白血病细胞的抗凋亡和促增殖作用(P<0.001)。以上研究结果提示,过表达TRAF6能够增强AML细胞的自噬活性,促进AML细胞的生长。     

The history of septin biology and bacterial infection

Investigation of cytoskeleton during bacterial infection has significantly contributed to both cell and infection biology. Bacterial pathogens Listeria monocytogenes and Shigella flexneri are widely recognised as paradigms for investigation of the cytoskeleton during bacterial entry, actin‐based motility, and cell‐autonomous immunity. At the turn of the century, septins were a poorly understood component of the cytoskeleton mostly studied in the context of yeast cell division and human cancer. In 2002, a screen performed in the laboratory of Pascale Cossart identified septin family member MSF (MLL septin‐like fusion, now called SEPT9) associated with L. monocytogenes entry into human epithelial cells. These findings inspired the investigation of septins during L. monocytogenes and S. flexneri infection at the Institut Pasteur, illuminating important roles for septins in host–microbe interactions. In this review, we revisit the history of septin biology and bacterial infection, and discuss how the comparative study of L. monocytogenes and S. flexneri has been instrumental to understand septin roles in cellular homeostasis and host defence.     

Macroautophagy is repressed during mitosis – seeing is believing

ABSTRACT

For the last two decades there has been wide ranging debate about the status of macroautophagy during mitosis. Because metazoan cells undergo an “open” mitosis in which the nuclear envelope breaks down, it has been proposed that macroautophagy must be inhibited to maintain genome integrity. While many studies have agreed that the number of autophagosomes is greatly reduced in cells undergoing mitosis, there has been no consensus on whether this reflects decreased autophagosome synthesis or increased autophagosome degradation. Reviewing the literature we were concerned that many studies relied too heavily on autophagy assays that were simply not appropriate for a relatively brief event such as mitosis. Using highly dynamic omegasome markers we have recently shown unequivocally that autophagosome synthesis is repressed at the onset of mitosis and is restored once cell division is complete. This is accomplished by CDK1, the master regulator of mitosis, taking over the function of MTORC1, to ensure autophagy is repressed during mitosis.