bims-lysosi Biomed News
on Lysosomes and signaling
Issue of 2021‒01‒31
thirty-one papers selected by
Stephanie Fernandes
Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing
  1. G3BPs tether the TSC complex to lysosomes and suppress mTORC1 signaling.
  2. MiT/TFE Family of Transcription Factors: An Evolutionary Perspective.
  3. Getting picky with the lysosome membrane.
  4. Endomembrane Tension and Trafficking.
  5. Clearance of heparan sulfate in the brain prevents neurodegeneration and neurocognitive impairment in MPS II mice.
  6. The complex network of mTOR signaling in the heart.
  7. TOR Signaling Pathway in Cardiac Aging and Heart Failure.
  8. Disturbed intramitochondrial phosphatidic acid transport impairs cellular stress signaling.
  9. Lysosome Function and Dysfunction in Hereditary Spastic Paraplegias.
  10. Waning efficacy in a long-term AAV-mediated gene therapy study in the murine model of Krabbe disease.
  11. Hijacking Endocytosis and Autophagy in Extracellular Vesicle Communication: Where the Inside Meets the Outside.
  12. The noncanonical role of the protease cathepsin D as a cofilin phosphatase.
  13. Metabolism of Amino Acids in Cancer.
  14. Zn2+-Depletion Enhances Lysosome Fission in Cultured Rat Embryonic Cortical Neurons Revealed by a Modified Epifluorescence Microscopic Technique.
  15. Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) promotes social behavior through mTORC1 in the excitatory neurotransmission.
  16. TFEB Supports Pancreatic Cancer Growth through the Transcriptional Regulation of Glutaminase.
  17. A zinc transporter, transmembrane protein 163 (TMEM163), is critical for the biogenesis of platelet dense granules.
  18. Metabolic disease and ABHD6 alter the circulating bis(monoacylglycerol)phosphate profile in mice and humans.
  19. Hypoxia favors chemoresistance in T-ALL through an HIF1α-mediated mTORC1 inhibition loop.
  20. Lipids, lysosomes and mitochondria: insights into Lewy body formation from rare monogenic disorders.
  21. Relevance of Membrane Contact Sites in Cancer Progression.
  22. The ins and outs of serine and glycine metabolism in cancer.
  23. Ribosomopathy-associated mutations cause proteotoxic stress that is alleviated by TOR inhibition.
  24. RIPK3 Contributes to Lyso-Gb3-Induced Podocyte Death.
  25. The Role of Cathepsin B in the Degradation of Aβ and in the Production of Aβ Peptides Starting With Ala2 in Cultured Astrocytes.
  26. mTORC1 promotes mineralization via p53 pathway.
  27. Glucocerebrosidases catalyze a transgalactosylation reaction that yields a newly-identified brain sterol metabolite, galactosylated cholesterol.
  28. Correction of pathology in mice displaying Gaucher disease type 1 by a clinically-applicable lentiviral vector.
  29. A benzothiazole-based near-infrared fluorescent probe for sensing SO2 derivatives and viscosity in HeLa cells.
  30. GAA deficiency promotes angiogenesis through upregulation of Rac1 induced by autophagy disorder.
  31. Mammalian VPS45 orchestrates trafficking through the endosomal system.
  1. Cell. 2021 Jan 18. pii: S0092-8674(20)31694-9. [Epub ahead of print]
    G3BPs tether the TSC complex to lysosomes and suppress mTORC1 signaling.
    Mirja Tamara Prentzell, Ulrike Rehbein, Marti Cadena Sandoval, Ann-Sofie De Meulemeester, Ralf Baumeister, Laura Brohée, Bianca Berdel, Mathias Bockwoldt, Bernadette Carroll, Suvagata Roy Chowdhury, Andreas von Deimling, Constantinos Demetriades, Gianluca Figlia, , Mariana Eca Guimaraes de Araujo, Alexander M Heberle, Ines Heiland, Birgit Holzwarth, Lukas A Huber, Jacek Jaworski, Magdalena Kedra, Katharina Kern, Andrii Kopach, Viktor I Korolchuk, Ineke van 't Land-Kuper, Matylda Macias, Mark Nellist, Wilhelm Palm, Stefan Pusch, Jose Miguel Ramos Pittol, Michèle Reil, Anja Reintjes, Friederike Reuter, Julian R Sampson, Chloë Scheldeman, Aleksandra Siekierska, Eduard Stefan, Aurelio A Teleman, Laura E Thomas, Omar Torres-Quesada, Saskia Trump, Hannah D West, Peter de Witte, Sandra Woltering, Teodor E Yordanov, Justyna Zmorzynska, Christiane A Opitz, Kathrin Thedieck.
      Ras GTPase-activating protein-binding proteins 1 and 2 (G3BP1 and G3BP2, respectively) are widely recognized as core components of stress granules (SGs). We report that G3BPs reside at the cytoplasmic surface of lysosomes. They act in a non-redundant manner to anchor the tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) protein complex to lysosomes and suppress activation of the metabolic master regulator mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) by amino acids and insulin. Like the TSC complex, G3BP1 deficiency elicits phenotypes related to mTORC1 hyperactivity. In the context of tumors, low G3BP1 levels enhance mTORC1-driven breast cancer cell motility and correlate with adverse outcomes in patients. Furthermore, G3bp1 inhibition in zebrafish disturbs neuronal development and function, leading to white matter heterotopia and neuronal hyperactivity. Thus, G3BPs are not only core components of SGs but also a key element of lysosomal TSC-mTORC1 signaling.
    Keywords:  G3BP1; G3BP2; TSC complex; cancer; lysosome; mTORC1; metabolism; neuronal function; stress granule
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2020.12.024
  2. Front Cell Dev Biol. 2020 ;8 609683
    MiT/TFE Family of Transcription Factors: An Evolutionary Perspective.
    Martina La Spina, Pablo S Contreras, Alberto Rissone, Naresh K Meena, Eutteum Jeong, José A Martina.
      Response and adaptation to stress are critical for the survival of all living organisms. The regulation of the transcriptional machinery is an important aspect of these complex processes. The members of the microphthalmia (MiT/TFE) family of transcription factors, apart from their involvement in melanocyte biology, are emerging as key players in a wide range of cellular functions in response to a plethora of internal and external stresses. The MiT/TFE proteins are structurally related and conserved through evolution. Their tissue expression and activities are highly regulated by alternative splicing, promoter usage, and posttranslational modifications. Here, we summarize the functions of MiT/TFE proteins as master transcriptional regulators across evolution and discuss the contribution of animal models to our understanding of the various roles of these transcription factors. We also highlight the importance of deciphering transcriptional regulatory mechanisms in the quest for potential therapeutic targets for human diseases, such as lysosomal storage disorders, neurodegeneration, and cancer.
    Keywords:  autophagy; evolution; helix-loop-helix transcription factor 30 (HLH-30); lysosomes; mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR); microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF); transcription factor E3 (TFE3); transcription factor EB (TFEB)
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fcell.2020.609683
  3. Autophagy. 2021 Jan 26. 1-3
    Getting picky with the lysosome membrane.
    Chan Lee, Michael Overholtzer.
      Lysosomes play an essential role in quality control mechanisms by functioning as the primary digestive system in mammalian cells. However, the quality control mechanisms governing healthy lysosomes are not fully understood. Using a method to study lysosome membrane turnover, we discovered that LC3-lipidation on the lysosome limiting membrane is involved in invagination and formation of intralumenal vesicles, an activity known as microautophagy. This activity occurs in response to metabolic stress, in the form of glucose starvation, or osmotic stress induced by treatment with lysosomotropic compounds. Cells rendered deficient in the ability to lipidate LC3 through knockout of ATG5 show reduced ability to regulate lysosome size and degradative function in response to stress. These findings demonstrate that cells can adapt to changing metabolic conditions by turning over selective portions of the lysosomal membrane, using a mechanism that involves lysosome-targeted LC3 lipidation and the induction of selective microautophagy.
    Keywords:  ATG5; LC3; autophagy; lysophagy; microautophagy
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1080/15548627.2021.1877935
  4. Front Cell Dev Biol. 2020 ;8 611326
    Endomembrane Tension and Trafficking.
    Amra Saric, Spencer A Freeman.
      Eukaryotic cells employ diverse uptake mechanisms depending on their specialized functions. While such mechanisms vary widely in their defining criteria: scale, molecular machinery utilized, cargo selection, and cargo destination, to name a few, they all result in the internalization of extracellular solutes and fluid into membrane-bound endosomes. Upon scission from the plasma membrane, this compartment is immediately subjected to extensive remodeling which involves tubulation and vesiculation/budding of the limiting endomembrane. This is followed by a maturation process involving concomitant retrograde transport by microtubule-based motors and graded fusion with late endosomes and lysosomes, organelles that support the degradation of the internalized content. Here we review an important determinant for sorting and trafficking in early endosomes and in lysosomes; the control of tension on the endomembrane. Remodeling of endomembranes is opposed by high tension (caused by high hydrostatic pressure) and supported by the relief of tension. We describe how the timely and coordinated efflux of major solutes along the endocytic pathway affords the cell control over such tension. The channels and transporters that expel the smallest components of the ingested medium from the early endocytic fluid are described in detail as these systems are thought to enable endomembrane deformation by curvature-sensing/generating coat proteins. We also review similar considerations for the lysosome where resident hydrolases liberate building blocks from luminal macromolecules and transporters flux these organic solutes to orchestrate trafficking events. How the cell directs organellar trafficking based on the luminal contents of organelles of the endocytic pathway is not well-understood, however, we propose that the control over membrane tension by solute transport constitutes one means for this to ensue.
    Keywords:  ESCRT; V-ATPase; endocytosis; ion transport; mTOR; macropinocytosis; phagocytosis; sorting nexin
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fcell.2020.611326
  5. Mol Ther. 2021 Jan 25. pii: S1525-0016(21)00027-7. [Epub ahead of print]
    Clearance of heparan sulfate in the brain prevents neurodegeneration and neurocognitive impairment in MPS II mice.
    Hideto Morimoto, Sachiho Kida, Eiji Yoden, Masafumi Kinoshita, Noboru Tanaka, Ryuji Yamamoto, Yuri Koshimura, Haruna Takagi, Kenichi Takahashi, Tohru Hirato, Kohtaro Minami, Hiroyuki Sonoda.
      Mucopolysaccharidosis II (MPS II), a lysosomal storage disease caused by mutations in iduronate-2-sulfatase (IDS), is characterized by a wide variety of somatic and neurologic symptoms. The currently approved intravenous enzyme replacement therapy with recombinant IDS (idursulfase) is ineffective for CNS manifestations due to its inability to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Here, we demonstrate that the clearance of heparan sulfate (HS) deposited in the brain by a BBB-penetrable antibody-enzyme fusion protein prevents neurodegeneration and neurocognitive dysfunctions in MPS II mice. The fusion protein pabinafusp alfa was chronically administered intravenously to MPS II mice. The drug reduced HS and attenuated histopathological changes in the brain as well as in peripheral tissues. The loss of spatial learning abilities was completely suppressed by pabinafusp alfa, but not by idursulfase, indicating an association between HS deposition in the brain, neurodegeneration, and CNS manifestations in these mice. Furthermore, HS concentrations in the brain and reduction thereof by pabinafusp alpha correlated with those in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Thus, repeated intravenous administration of pabinafusp alfa to MPS II mice decreased HS deposition in the brain, leading to prevention of neurodegeneration and maintenance of neurocognitive function, which may be predicted from HS concentrations in CSF.
    Keywords:  blood-brain barrier; enzyme-replacement therapy; heparan sulfate; mucopolysaccharidosis II; neurocognitive impairment; neurodegeneration
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ymthe.2021.01.027
  6. Cardiovasc Res. 2021 Jan 29. pii: cvab033. [Epub ahead of print]
    The complex network of mTOR signaling in the heart.
    Sebastiano Sciarretta, Maurizio Forte, Giacomo Frati, Junichi Sadoshima.
      The mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) integrates several intracellular and extracellular signals involved in the regulation of anabolic and catabolic processes. mTOR assembles into two macromolecular complexes, named mTORC1 and mTORC2, which have different regulators, substrates and functions. Studies of gain- and loss-of-function animal models of mTOR signaling revealed that mTORC1/2 elicit both adaptive and maladaptive functions in the cardiovascular system. Both mTORC1 and mTORC2 are indispensable for driving cardiac development and cardiac adaption to stress, such as pressure overload. However, persistent and deregulated mTORC1 activation in the heart is detrimental during stress and contributes to the development and progression of cardiac remodeling and genetic and metabolic cardiomyopathies. In this review, we discuss the latest findings regarding the role of mTOR in the cardiovascular system, both under basal conditions and during stress, such as pressure overload, ischemia and metabolic stress. Current data suggest that mTOR modulation may represent a potential therapeutic strategy for the treatment of cardiac diseases.
    Keywords:  heart disease; mTOR; mTORC1; mTORC2; rapamycin
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1093/cvr/cvab033
  7. Biomolecules. 2021 Jan 27. pii: 168. [Epub ahead of print]11(2):
    TOR Signaling Pathway in Cardiac Aging and Heart Failure.
    Nastaran Daneshgar, Peter S Rabinovitch, Dao-Fu Dai.
      Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin (mTOR) signaling is a key regulator of cellular metabolism, integrating nutrient sensing with cell growth. Over the past two decades, studies on the mTOR pathway have revealed that mTOR complex 1 controls life span, health span, and aging by modulating key cellular processes such as protein synthesis, autophagy, and mitochondrial function, mainly through its downstream substrates. Thus, the mTOR pathway regulates both physiological and pathological processes in the heart from embryonic cardiovascular development to maintenance of cardiac homeostasis in postnatal life. In this regard, the dysregulation of mTOR signaling has been linked to many age-related pathologies, including heart failure and age-related cardiac dysfunction. In this review, we highlight recent advances of the impact of mTOR complex 1 pathway and its regulators on aging and, more specifically, cardiac aging and heart failure.
    Keywords:  aging; caloric restriction; cardiac aging; heart failure; mTOR; rapamycin
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/biom11020168
  8. J Biol Chem. 2021 Jan 23. pii: S0021-9258(21)00106-X. [Epub ahead of print] 100335
    Disturbed intramitochondrial phosphatidic acid transport impairs cellular stress signaling.
    Akinori Eiyama, Mari J Aaltonen, Hendrik Nolte, Takashi Tatsuta, Thomas Langer.
      Lipid transfer proteins of the Ups1/PRELID1 family facilitate the transport of phospholipids across the intermembrane space of mitochondria in a lipid-specific manner. Heterodimeric complexes of yeast Ups1/Mdm35 or human PRELID1/TRIAP1 shuttle phosphatidic acid (PA) mainly synthesized in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to the inner membrane, where it is converted to cardiolipin (CL), the signature phospholipid of mitochondria. Loss of Ups1/PRELID1 proteins impairs the accumulation of CL and broadly affects mitochondrial structure and function. Unexpectedly and unlike yeast cells lacking the cardiolipin synthase Crd1, Ups1 deficient yeast cells exhibit glycolytic growth defects, pointing to functions of Ups1-mediated PA transfer beyond CL synthesis. Here, we show that the disturbed intramitochondrial transport of PA in ups1Δ cells leads to altered unfolded protein response (UPR) and mTORC1 signaling, independent of disturbances in CL synthesis. The impaired flux of PA into mitochondria is associated with the increased synthesis of phosphatidylcholine (PC) and a reduced phosphatidylethanolamine (PE)/PC ratio in the ER of ups1Δ cells which suppresses the UPR. Moreover, we observed inhibition of TORC1 signaling in these cells. Activation of either UPR by ER protein stress or of TORC1 signaling by disruption of its negative regulator, the SEACIT complex, increased cytosolic protein synthesis and restored glycolytic growth of ups1Δ cells. These results demonstrate that PA influx into mitochondria is required to preserve ER membrane homeostasis and that its disturbance is associated with impaired glycolytic growth and cellular stress signaling.
    Keywords:  Mitochondria; PRELID1; TORC1; Ups1; endoplasmic reticulum (ER); lipid transfer; phospholipid; unfolded protein response (UPR); yeast
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbc.2021.100335
  9. Brain Sci. 2021 Jan 24. pii: 152. [Epub ahead of print]11(2):
    Lysosome Function and Dysfunction in Hereditary Spastic Paraplegias.
    Daisy Edmison, Luyu Wang, Swetha Gowrishankar.
      Hereditary Spastic Paraplegias (HSPs) are a genetically diverse group of inherited neurological diseases with over 80 associated gene loci. Over the last decade, research into mechanisms underlying HSPs has led to an emerging interest in lysosome dysfunction. In this review, we highlight the different classes of HSPs that have been linked to lysosome defects: (1) a subset of complex HSPs where mutations in lysosomal genes are causally linked to the diseases, (2) other complex HSPs where mutation in genes encoding membrane trafficking adaptors lead to lysosomal defects, and (3) a subset of HSPs where mutations affect genes encoding proteins whose function is primarily linked to a different cellular component or organelle such as microtubule severing and Endoplasmic Reticulum-shaping, while also altering to lysosomes. Interestingly, aberrant axonal lysosomes, associated with the latter two subsets of HSPs, are a key feature observed in other neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease. We discuss how altered lysosome function and trafficking may be a critical contributor to HSP pathology and highlight the need for examining these features in the cortico-spinal motor neurons of HSP mutant models.
    Keywords:  Alzheimer’s; HSP; axon; lysosome; motor neurons
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci11020152
  10. Mol Ther. 2021 Jan 25. pii: S1525-0016(21)00026-5. [Epub ahead of print]
    Waning efficacy in a long-term AAV-mediated gene therapy study in the murine model of Krabbe disease.
    Gregory J Heller, Michael S Marshall, Yazan Issa, Jeffrey N Marshall, Duc Nguyen, Emily Rue, Koralege C Pathmasiri, Miriam S Domowicz, Richard B van Breemen, Leon M Tai, Stephanie M Cologna, Stephen J Crocker, Maria I Givogri, Mark S Sands, Ernesto R Bongarzone.
      Neonatal AAV9-gene therapy of the lysosomal enzyme galactosylceramidase (GALC) significantly ameliorates central and peripheral neuropathology, prolongs survival, and largely normalizes motor deficits in Twitcher mice. Despite these therapeutic milestones, new observations identified the presence of multiple small focal demyelinating areas in the brain after 6-8 months. These lesions are in stark contrast to the diffuse, global demyelination that affects the brain of naïve Twitcher mice. Late-onset lesions exhibited lysosomal alterations with reduced expression of GALC and increased psychosine levels. Furthermore, we found that lesions were closely associated with extravasation of plasma fibrinogen and activation of the fibrinogen-BMP-SMAD-GFAP gliotic response. Extravasation of fibrinogen correlated with tight junction disruptions of the vasculature within the lesioned areas. The lesions were surrounded by normal appearing white matter. Our study shows that dysregulation of therapeutic GALC was likely driven by the exhaustion of therapeutic AAV episomal DNA within the lesions, paralleling the presence of proliferating oligodendrocyte progenitors and glia. We believe that this is the first demonstration of diminishing expression in vivo from an AAV gene therapy vector with detrimental effects in the brain of a lysosomal storage disease animal model. The development of this phenotype linking localized loss of GALC activity with relapsing neuropathology in the adult brain of neonatally AAV-gene therapy treated Twitcher mice identifies and alerts of possible late-onset reductions of AAV-efficacy, with implications to other genetic leukodystrophies.
    Keywords:  AAV9; Gene therapy; demyelination; fibrinogen; globoid cell leukodystrophy; lysosomal dysfunction; microglia; multi-focal sclerosis; psychosine; tight junction
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ymthe.2021.01.026
  11. Front Cell Dev Biol. 2020 ;8 595515
    Hijacking Endocytosis and Autophagy in Extracellular Vesicle Communication: Where the Inside Meets the Outside.
    Giona Pedrioli, Paolo Paganetti.
      Extracellular vesicles, phospholipid bilayer-membrane vesicles of cellular origin, are emerging as nanocarriers of biological information between cells. Extracellular vesicles transport virtually all biologically active macromolecules (e.g., nucleotides, lipids, and proteins), thus eliciting phenotypic changes in recipient cells. However, we only partially understand the cellular mechanisms driving the encounter of a soluble ligand transported in the lumen of extracellular vesicles with its cytosolic receptor: a step required to evoke a biologically relevant response. In this context, we review herein current evidence supporting the role of two well-described cellular transport pathways: the endocytic pathway as the main entry route for extracellular vesicles and the autophagic pathway driving lysosomal degradation of cytosolic proteins. The interplay between these pathways may result in the target engagement between an extracellular vesicle cargo protein and its cytosolic target within the acidic compartments of the cell. This mechanism of cell-to-cell communication may well own possible implications in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders.
    Keywords:  aggregation; autophagy; cargo; cell-to-cell communication; endocytosis; extracellular vesicles; lysosome; neurodegeneration
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fcell.2020.595515
  12. Cell Res. 2021 Jan 29.
    The noncanonical role of the protease cathepsin D as a cofilin phosphatase.
    Yi-Jun Liu, Ting Zhang, Sicong Chen, Daxiao Cheng, Cunjin Wu, Xingyue Wang, Duo Duan, Liya Zhu, Huifang Lou, Zhefeng Gong, Xiao-Dong Wang, Margaret S Ho, Shumin Duan.
      Cathepsin D (cathD) is traditionally regarded as a lysosomal protease that degrades substrates in acidic compartments. Here we report cathD plays an unconventional role as a cofilin phosphatase orchestrating actin remodeling. In neutral pH environments, the cathD precursor directly dephosphorylates and activates the actin-severing protein cofilin independent of its proteolytic activity, whereas mature cathD degrades cofilin in acidic pH conditions. During development, cathD complements the canonical cofilin phosphatase slingshot and regulates the morphogenesis of actin-based structures. Moreover, suppression of cathD phosphatase activity leads to defective actin organization and cytokinesis failure. Our findings identify cathD as a dual-function molecule, whose functional switch is regulated by environmental pH and its maturation state, and reveal a novel regulatory role of cathD in actin-based cellular processes.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41422-020-00454-w
  13. Front Cell Dev Biol. 2020 ;8 603837
    Metabolism of Amino Acids in Cancer.
    Zhen Wei, Xiaoyi Liu, Chunming Cheng, Wei Yu, Ping Yi.
      Metabolic reprogramming has been widely recognized as a hallmark of malignancy. The uptake and metabolism of amino acids are aberrantly upregulated in many cancers that display addiction to particular amino acids. Amino acids facilitate the survival and proliferation of cancer cells under genotoxic, oxidative, and nutritional stress. Thus, targeting amino acid metabolism is becoming a potential therapeutic strategy for cancer patients. In this review, we will systematically summarize the recent progress of amino acid metabolism in malignancy and discuss their interconnection with mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) signaling, epigenetic modification, tumor growth and immunity, and ferroptosis. Finally, we will highlight the potential therapeutic applications.
    Keywords:  amino acids (AAs); cancer; epigenetic; ferroptosis; mTORC (mammalian target of rapamycin kinase complex); metabolism; tumor growth; tumor immunity
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fcell.2020.603837
  14. Microsc Microanal. 2021 Jan 25. 1-5
    Zn2+-Depletion Enhances Lysosome Fission in Cultured Rat Embryonic Cortical Neurons Revealed by a Modified Epifluorescence Microscopic Technique.
    Hung-Chun Tsao, Yi-Feng Liao, Feby Wijaya Pratiwi, Chung-Yuan Mou, Yi-Jhen Lin, Chien-Yuan Pan, Yit-Tsong Chen.
      Lysosomes are integration hubs for several signaling pathways, such as autophagy and endocytosis, and also crucial stores of ions, including Zn2+. Lysosomal dysfunction caused by changes in their morphology by fusion and fission processes can result in several pathological disorders. However, the role of Zn2+ in modulating the morphology of lysosomes is unclear. The resolution of conventional epifluorescence microscopy restricts accurate observation of morphological changes of subcellular fluorescence punctum. In this study, we used a modified epifluorescence microscopy to identify the center of a punctum from a series of z-stack images and calculate the morphological changes. We stained primary cultured rat embryonic cortical neurons with FluoZin3, a Zn2+-sensitive fluorescent dye, and Lysotracker, a lysosome-specific marker, to visualize the distribution of Zn2+-enriched vesicles and lysosomes, respectively. Our results revealed that treating neurons with N,N,N′,N′-tetrakis(2-pyridylmethyl)ethylenediamine, a cell-permeable Zn2+ chelator, shrank Zn2+-enriched vesicles and lysosomes by up to 25% in an hour. Pretreating the neurons with YM201636, a blocker of lysosome fission, could suppress this shrinkage. These results demonstrate the usefulness of the modified epifluorescence microscopy for investigating the homeostasis of intracellular organelles and related disorders.
    Keywords:  YM201636; Zn2+ homeostasis; autophagosome; lysosome homeostasis
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1017/S1431927620024940
  15. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2021 Feb 02. pii: e2020705118. [Epub ahead of print]118(5):
    Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) promotes social behavior through mTORC1 in the excitatory neurotransmission.
    Danilo De Gregorio, Jelena Popic, Justine P Enns, Antonio Inserra, Agnieszka Skalecka, Athanasios Markopoulos, Luca Posa, Martha Lopez-Canul, He Qianzi, Christopher K Lafferty, Jonathan P Britt, Stefano Comai, Argel Aguilar-Valles, Nahum Sonenberg, Gabriella Gobbi.
      Clinical studies have reported that the psychedelic lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) enhances empathy and social behavior (SB) in humans, but its mechanism of action remains elusive. Using a multidisciplinary approach including in vivo electrophysiology, optogenetics, behavioral paradigms, and molecular biology, the effects of LSD on SB and glutamatergic neurotransmission in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) were studied in male mice. Acute LSD (30 μg/kg) injection failed to increase SB. However, repeated LSD (30 μg/kg, once a day, for 7 days) administration promotes SB, without eliciting antidepressant/anxiolytic-like effects. Optogenetic inhibition of mPFC excitatory neurons dramatically inhibits social interaction and nullifies the prosocial effect of LSD. LSD potentiates the α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionate (AMPA) and 5-HT2A, but not N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and 5-HT1A, synaptic responses in the mPFC and increases the phosphorylation of the serine-threonine protein kinases Akt and mTOR. In conditional knockout mice lacking Raptor (one of the structural components of the mTORC1 complex) in excitatory glutamatergic neurons (Raptor f/f :Camk2alpha-Cre), the prosocial effects of LSD and the potentiation of 5-HT2A/AMPA synaptic responses were nullified, demonstrating that LSD requires the integrity of mTORC1 in excitatory neurons to promote SB. Conversely, in knockout mice lacking Raptor in GABAergic neurons of the mPFC (Raptor f/f :Gad2-Cre), LSD promotes SB. These results indicate that LSD selectively enhances SB by potentiating mPFC excitatory transmission through 5-HT2A/AMPA receptors and mTOR signaling. The activation of 5-HT2A/AMPA/mTORC1 in the mPFC by psychedelic drugs should be explored for the treatment of mental diseases with SB impairments such as autism spectrum disorder and social anxiety disorder.
    Keywords:  5-HT2A; AMPA; LSD; mTOR; social behavior
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2020705118
  16. Cancers (Basel). 2021 Jan 27. pii: 483. [Epub ahead of print]13(3):
    TFEB Supports Pancreatic Cancer Growth through the Transcriptional Regulation of Glutaminase.
    Ji Hye Kim, Jinyoung Lee, Young-Ra Cho, So-Yeon Lee, Gi-Jun Sung, Dong-Myung Shin, Kyung-Chul Choi, Jaekyoung Son.
      Transcription factor EB (TFEB) is a master regulator of lysosomal function and autophagy. In addition, TFEB has various physiological roles such as nutrient sensing, cellular stress responses, and immune responses. However, the precise roles of TFEB in pancreatic cancer growth remain unclear. Here, we show that pancreatic cancer cells exhibit a significantly elevated TFEB expression compared with normal tissue samples and that the genetic inhibition of TFEB results in a significant inhibition in both glutamine and mitochondrial metabolism, which in turn suppresses the PDAC growth both in vitro and in vivo. High basal levels of autophagy are critical for pancreatic cancer growth. The TFEB knockdown had no significant effect on the autophagic flux under normal conditions but interestingly caused a profound reduction in glutaminase (GLS) transcription, leading to an inhibition of glutamine metabolism. We observed that the direct binding of TFEB to the GLS and TFEB gene promotors regulates the transcription of GLS. We also found that the glutamate supplementation leads to a significant recovery of the PDAC growth that had been reduced by a TFEB knockdown. Taken together, our current data demonstrate that TFEB supports the PDAC cell growth by regulating glutaminase-mediated glutamine metabolism.
    Keywords:  GLS; PDAC; TFEB; glutamine
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers13030483
  17. Blood. 2021 Jan 29. pii: blood.2020007389. [Epub ahead of print]
    A zinc transporter, transmembrane protein 163 (TMEM163), is critical for the biogenesis of platelet dense granules.
    Yefeng Yuan, Teng Liu, Xiahe Huang, Yuanying Chen, Weilin Zhang, Ting Li, Lin Yang, Quan Chen, Yingchun Wang, Aihua Wei, Wei Li.
      Lysosome-related organelles (LROs) are a category of secretory organelles enriched with ions such as Ca2+, which are maintained by ion transporters or channels. Homeostasis of these ions is important for LRO biogenesis and secretion. Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome (HPS) is a recessive disorder with defects in multiple LROs, typically platelet dense granules (DGs) and melanosomes. However, the underlying mechanism of DG deficiency is largely unknown. Using quantitative proteomics, we identified a previously unreported platelet Zn2+ transporter TMEM163, which was significantly reduced in BLOC-1 (Dtnbp1 sdy and Pldn pa), BLOC-2 (Hps6 ru) or AP-3 (Ap3b1 pe) deficient mice and HPS patients (HPS2, 3, 5, 6, or 9). We observed similar platelet DG defects and abnormal intracellular zinc accumulation in platelets of mice deficient in either TMEM163 or dysbindin (a BLOC-1 subunit). In addition, we discovered that BLOC-1 was required for the trafficking of TMEM163 to perinuclear DG and late endosome (LE) marker-positive compartments (likely DG precursors) in MEG-01 cells. Our results suggest that TMEM163 is critical for DG biogenesis and BLOC-1 is required for the trafficking of TMEM163 to putative DG precursors. These new findings suggest that loss of TMEM163 function results in disruption of intracellular zinc homeostasis, and provide insights into the pathogenesis of HPS or platelet storage pool deficiency.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1182/blood.2020007389
  18. J Lipid Res. 2019 May;pii: S0022-2275(20)32271-9. [Epub ahead of print]60(5): 1020-1031
    Metabolic disease and ABHD6 alter the circulating bis(monoacylglycerol)phosphate profile in mice and humans.
    Gernot F Grabner, Nermeen Fawzy, Maria A Pribasnig, Markus Trieb, Ulrike Taschler, Michael Holzer, Martina Schweiger, Heimo Wolinski, Dagmar Kolb, Angela Horvath, Rolf Breinbauer, Thomas Rülicke, Roland Rabl, Achim Lass, Vanessa Stadlbauer, Birgit Hutter-Paier, Rudolf E Stauber, Peter Fickert, Rudolf Zechner, Gunther Marsche, Thomas O Eichmann, Robert Zimmermann.
      Bis(monoacylglycerol)phosphate (BMP) is a phospholipid that is crucial for lipid degradation and sorting in acidic organelles. Genetic and drug-induced lysosomal storage disorders (LSDs) are associated with increased BMP concentrations in tissues and in the circulation. Data on BMP in disorders other than LSDs, however, are scarce, and key enzymes regulating BMP metabolism remain elusive. Here, we demonstrate that common metabolic disorders and the intracellular BMP hydrolase α/β-hydrolase domain-containing 6 (ABHD6) affect BMP metabolism in mice and humans. In mice, dietary lipid overload strongly affects BMP concentration and FA composition in the liver and plasma, similar to what has been observed in LSDs. Notably, distinct changes in the BMP FA profile enable a clear distinction between lipid overload and drug-induced LSDs. Global deletion of ABHD6 increases circulating BMP concentrations but does not cause LSDs. In humans, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and liver cirrhosis affect the serum BMP FA composition and concentration. Furthermore, we identified a patient with a loss-of-function mutation in the ABHD6 gene, leading to an altered circulating BMP profile. In conclusion, our results suggest that common metabolic diseases and ABHD6 affect BMP metabolism in mice and humans.
    Keywords:  lipase; lysobisphosphatidic acid; lysosomal storage disorders; nonalcoholic fatty liver disease; obesity; phospholipids; α/β-hydrolase domain-containing 6
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1194/jlr.M093351
  19. Blood Adv. 2021 Jan 26. 5(2): 513-526
    Hypoxia favors chemoresistance in T-ALL through an HIF1α-mediated mTORC1 inhibition loop.
    Lucine Fahy, Julien Calvo, Sara Chabi, Laurent Renou, Charly Le Maout, Sandrine Poglio, Thierry Leblanc, Arnaud Petit, André Baruchel, Paola Ballerini, Irina Naguibneva, Rima Haddad, Marie-Laure Arcangeli, Frederic Mazurier, Francoise Pflumio, Benjamin Uzan.
      Resistance to chemotherapy, a major therapeutic challenge in the treatment of T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL), can be driven by interactions between leukemic cells and the microenvironment that promote survival of leukemic cells. The bone marrow, an important leukemia niche, has low oxygen partial pressures that highly participate in the regulation of normal hematopoiesis. Here we show that hypoxia inhibits T-ALL cell growth by slowing down cell cycle progression, decreasing mitochondria activity, and increasing glycolysis, making them less sensitive to antileukemic drugs and preserving their ability to initiate leukemia after treatment. Activation of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) was diminished in hypoxic leukemic cells, and treatment of T-ALL with the mTOR inhibitor rapamycin in normoxia mimicked the hypoxia effects, namely decreased cell growth and increased quiescence and drug resistance. Knocking down (KD) hypoxia-induced factor 1α (HIF-1α), a key regulator of the cellular response to hypoxia, antagonized the effects observed in hypoxic T-ALL and restored chemosensitivity. HIF-1α KD also restored mTOR activation in low O2 concentrations, and inhibiting mTOR in HIF1α KD T-ALL protected leukemic cells from chemotherapy. Thus, hypoxic niches play a protective role of T-ALL during treatments. Inhibition of HIF-1α and activation of the mTORC1 pathway may help suppress the drug resistance of T-ALL in hypoxic niches.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1182/bloodadvances.2020002832
  20. Acta Neuropathol. 2021 Jan 30.
    Lipids, lysosomes and mitochondria: insights into Lewy body formation from rare monogenic disorders.
    Daniel Erskine, David Koss, Viktor I Korolchuk, Tiago F Outeiro, Johannes Attems, Ian McKeith.
      Accumulation of the protein α-synuclein into insoluble intracellular deposits termed Lewy bodies (LBs) is the characteristic neuropathological feature of LB diseases, such as Parkinson's disease (PD), Parkinson's disease dementia (PDD) and dementia with LB (DLB). α-Synuclein aggregation is thought to be a critical pathogenic event in the aetiology of LB disease, based on genetic analyses, fundamental studies using model systems, and the observation of LB pathology in post-mortem tissue. However, some monogenic disorders not traditionally characterised as synucleinopathies, such as lysosomal storage disorders, iron storage disorders and mitochondrial diseases, appear disproportionately vulnerable to the deposition of LBs, perhaps suggesting the process of LB formation may be a result of processes perturbed as a result of these conditions. The present review discusses biological pathways common to monogenic disorders associated with LB formation, identifying catabolic processes, particularly related to lipid homeostasis, autophagy and mitochondrial function, as processes that could contribute to LB formation. These findings are discussed in the context of known mediators of α-synuclein aggregation, highlighting the potential influence of impairments to these processes in the aetiology of LB formation.
    Keywords:  Alpha-synuclein; Autophagy; Catabolism; Lewy body; Lipid metabolism; Mitochondria
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/s00401-021-02266-7
  21. Front Cell Dev Biol. 2020 ;8 622215
    Relevance of Membrane Contact Sites in Cancer Progression.
    Aurora Gil-Hernández, Miguel Arroyo-Campuzano, Arturo Simoni-Nieves, Cecilia Zazueta, Luis Enrique Gomez-Quiroz, Alejandro Silva-Palacios.
      Membrane contact sites (MCS) are typically defined as areas of proximity between heterologous or homologous membranes characterized by specific proteins. The study of MCS is considered as an emergent field that shows how crucial organelle interactions are in cell physiology. MCS regulate a myriad of physiological processes such as apoptosis, calcium, and lipid signaling, just to name a few. The membranal interactions between the endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-mitochondria, the ER-plasma membrane, and the vesicular traffic have received special attention in recent years, particularly in cancer research, in which it has been proposed that MCS regulate tumor metabolism and fate, contributing to their progression. However, as the therapeutic or diagnostic potential of MCS has not been fully revisited, in this review, we provide recent information on MCS relevance on calcium and lipid signaling in cancer cells and on its role in tumor progression. We also describe some proteins associated with MCS, like CERT, STIM1, VDAC, and Orai, that impact on cancer progression and that could be a possible diagnostic marker. Overall, these information might contribute to the understanding of the complex biology of cancer cells.
    Keywords:  calcium signaling; cancer progression; lipid signaling; membrane contact sites; metastasis
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fcell.2020.622215
  22. Nat Metab. 2021 Jan 28.
    The ins and outs of serine and glycine metabolism in cancer.
    Shauni L Geeraerts, Elien Heylen, Kim De Keersmaecker, Kim R Kampen.
      Cancer cells reprogramme their metabolism to support unrestrained proliferation and survival in nutrient-poor conditions. Whereas non-transformed cells often have lower demands for serine and glycine, several cancer subtypes hyperactivate intracellular serine and glycine synthesis and become addicted to de novo production. Copy-number amplifications of serine- and glycine-synthesis genes and genetic alterations in common oncogenes and tumour-suppressor genes enhance serine and glycine synthesis, resulting in high production and secretion of these oncogenesis-supportive metabolites. In this Review, we discuss the contribution of serine and glycine synthesis to cancer progression. By relying on de novo synthesis pathways, cancer cells are able to enhance macromolecule synthesis, neutralize high levels of oxidative stress and regulate methylation and tRNA formylation. Furthermore, we discuss the immunosuppressive potential of serine and glycine, and the essentiality of both amino acids to promoting survival of non-transformed neighbouring cells. Finally, we point to the emerging data proposing moonlighting functions of serine- and glycine-synthesis enzymes and examine promising small molecules targeting serine and glycine synthesis.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s42255-020-00329-9
  23. Nat Cell Biol. 2021 Jan 25.
    Ribosomopathy-associated mutations cause proteotoxic stress that is alleviated by TOR inhibition.
    Carles Recasens-Alvarez, Cyrille Alexandre, Joanna Kirkpatrick, Hisashi Nojima, David J Huels, Ambrosius P Snijders, Jean-Paul Vincent.
      Ribosomes are multicomponent molecular machines that synthesize all of the proteins of living cells. Most of the genes that encode the protein components of ribosomes are therefore essential. A reduction in gene dosage is often viable albeit deleterious and is associated with human syndromes, which are collectively known as ribosomopathies1-3. The cell biological basis of these pathologies has remained unclear. Here, we model human ribosomopathies in Drosophila and find widespread apoptosis and cellular stress in the resulting animals. This is not caused by insufficient protein synthesis, as reasonably expected. Instead, ribosomal protein deficiency elicits proteotoxic stress, which we suggest is caused by the accumulation of misfolded proteins that overwhelm the protein degradation machinery. We find that dampening the integrated stress response4 or autophagy increases the harm inflicted by ribosomal protein deficiency, suggesting that these activities could be cytoprotective. Inhibition of TOR activity-which decreases ribosomal protein production, slows down protein synthesis and stimulates autophagy5-reduces proteotoxic stress in our ribosomopathy model. Interventions that stimulate autophagy, combined with means of boosting protein quality control, could form the basis of a therapeutic strategy for this class of diseases.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41556-020-00626-1
  24. Cells. 2021 Jan 27. pii: 245. [Epub ahead of print]10(2):
    RIPK3 Contributes to Lyso-Gb3-Induced Podocyte Death.
    So-Young Kim, Samel Park, Seong-Woo Lee, Ji-Hye Lee, Eun Soo Lee, Miri Kim, Youngjo Kim, Jeong Suk Kang, Choon Hee Chung, Jong-Seok Moon, Eun Young Lee.
      Fabry disease is a lysosomal storage disease with an X-linked heritage caused by absent or decreased activity of lysosomal enzymes named alpha-galactosidase A (α-gal A). Among the various manifestations of Fabry disease, Fabry nephropathy significantly affects patients' morbidity and mortality. The cellular mechanisms of kidney damage have not been elusively described. Necroptosis is one of the programmed necrotic cell death pathways and is known to play many important roles in kidney injury. We investigated whether RIPK3, a protein phosphokinase with an important role in necroptosis, played a crucial role in the pathogenesis of Fabry nephropathy both in vitro and in vivo. The cell viability of podocytes decreased after lyso-Gb3 treatment in a dose-dependent manner, with increasing RIPK3 expression. Increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation after lyso-Gb3 treatment, which was alleviated by GSK'872 (a RIPK3 inhibitor), suggested a role of oxidative stress via a RIPK3-dependent pathway. Cytoskeleton rearrangement induced by lyso-Gb3 was normalized by the RIPK3 inhibitor. When mice were injected with lyso-Gb3, increased urine albuminuria, decreased podocyte counts in the glomeruli, and effaced foot processes were observed. Our results showed that lyso-Gb3 initiated albuminuria, a clinical manifestation of Fabry nephropathy, by podocyte loss and subsequent foot process effacement. These findings suggest a novel pathway in Fabry nephropathy.
    Keywords:  Fabry disease; RIPK3; alpha-galactosidase; alpha-galactosidase A; lyso-Gb3; necroptosis
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/cells10020245
  25. Front Mol Neurosci. 2020 ;13 615740
    The Role of Cathepsin B in the Degradation of Aβ and in the Production of Aβ Peptides Starting With Ala2 in Cultured Astrocytes.
    Timo Jan Oberstein, Janine Utz, Philipp Spitzer, Hans Wolfgang Klafki, Jens Wiltfang, Piotr Lewczuk, Johannes Kornhuber, Juan Manuel Maler.
      Astrocytes may not only be involved in the clearance of Amyloid beta peptides (Aβ) in Alzheimer's disease (AD), but appear to produce N-terminally truncated Aβ (Aβn-x) independently of BACE1, which generates the N-Terminus of Aβ starting with Asp1 (Aβ1-x). A candidate protease for the generation of Aβn-x is cathepsin B (CatB), especially since CatB has also been reported to degrade Aβ, which could explain the opposite roles of astrocytes in AD. In this study, we investigated the influence of CatB inhibitors and the deletion of the gene encoding CatB (CTSB) using CRISPR/Cas9 technology on Aβ2-x and Aβ1-x levels in cell culture supernatants by one- and two-dimensional Urea-SDS-PAGE followed by immunoblot. While the cell-permeant inhibitors E64d and CA-074 Me did not significantly affect the Aβ1-x levels in supernatants of cultured chicken and human astrocytes, they did reduce the Aβ2-x levels. In the glioma-derived cell line H4, the Aβ2-x levels were likewise decreased in supernatants by treatment with the more specific, but cell-impermeant CatB-inhibitor CA-074, by CA-074 Me treatment, and by CTSB gene deletion. Additionally, a more than 2-fold increase in secreted Aβ1-x was observed under the latter two conditions. The CA-074 Me-mediated increase of Aβ1-x, but not the decrease of Aβ2-x, was influenced by concomitant treatment with the vacuolar H+-ATPase inhibitor Bafilomycin A1. This indicated that non-lysosomal CatB mediated the production of Aβ2-x in astrocytes, while the degradation of Aβ1-x seemed to be dependent on lysosomal CatB in H4 cells, but not in primary astrocytes. These findings highlight the importance of considering organelle targeting in drug development to promote Aβ degradation.
    Keywords:  Alzheimer's disease; N-terminus; amyloid beta; astrocytes; cathepsin B; lysosomal
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fnmol.2020.615740
  26. FASEB J. 2021 Feb;35(2): e21325
    mTORC1 promotes mineralization via p53 pathway.
    Xinghong Luo, Jingyao Yin, Shenghong Miao, Weiqing Feng, Tingting Ning, Shuaimei Xu, Shijiang Huang, Sheng Zhang, Yunjun Liao, Chunbo Hao, Buling Wu, Dandan Ma.
      The objectives of our study were to investigate the roles of mTORC1 in odontoblast proliferation and mineralization and to determine the mechanism by which mTORC1 regulates odontoblast mineralization. In vitro, MDPC23 cells were treated with rapamycin (10 nmol/L) and transfected with a lentivirus for short hairpin (shRNA)-mediated silencing of the tuberous sclerosis complex (shTSC1) to inhibit and activate mTORC1, respectively. CCK8 assays, flow cytometry, Alizarin red S staining, ALP staining, qRT-PCR, and western blot analysis were performed. TSC1-conditional knockout (DMP1-Cre+ ; TSC1f/f , hereafter CKO) mice and littermate control (DMP1-Cre- ; TSC1f/f , hereafter WT) mice were generated. H&E staining, immunofluorescence, and micro-CT analysis were performed. Transcriptome sequencing analysis was used to screen the mechanism of this process. mTORC1 inactivation decreased the cell proliferation. The qRT-PCR and western blot results showed that mineralization-related genes and proteins were downregulated in mTORC1-inactivated cells. Moreover, mTORC1 overactivation promoted cell proliferation and mineralization-related gene and protein expression. In vivo, the micro-CT results showed that DV/TV and dentin thickness were higher in CKO mice than in controls and H&E staining showed the same results. Mineralization-related proteins expression was upregulated. Transcriptome sequencing analysis revealed that p53 pathway-associated genes were differentially expressed in TSC1-deficient cells. By inhibiting p53 alone or both mTORC1 and p53 with rapamycin and a p53 inhibitor, we elucidated that p53 acts downstream of mTORC1 and that mTORC1 thereby promotes odontoblast mineralization. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that the role of mTORC1 in odontoblast proliferation and mineralization, and confirm that mTORC1 upregulates odontoblast mineralization via the p53 pathway.
    Keywords:  cell signaling; dentinogenesis; mTORC1; molecular biology; odontoblast; tooth development
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1096/fj.202002016R
  27. J Biol Chem. 2020 Apr 17. pii: S0021-9258(17)48548-6. [Epub ahead of print]295(16): 5257-5277
    Glucocerebrosidases catalyze a transgalactosylation reaction that yields a newly-identified brain sterol metabolite, galactosylated cholesterol.
    Hisako Akiyama, Mitsuko Ide, Yasuko Nagatsuka, Tomoko Sayano, Etsuro Nakanishi, Norihito Uemura, Kohei Yuyama, Yoshiki Yamaguchi, Hiroyuki Kamiguchi, Ryosuke Takahashi, Johannes M F G Aerts, Peter Greimel, Yoshio Hirabayashi.
      β-Glucocerebrosidase (GBA) hydrolyzes glucosylceramide (GlcCer) to generate ceramide. Previously, we demonstrated that lysosomal GBA1 and nonlysosomal GBA2 possess not only GlcCer hydrolase activity, but also transglucosylation activity to transfer the glucose residue from GlcCer to cholesterol to form β-cholesterylglucoside (β-GlcChol) in vitro. β-GlcChol is a member of sterylglycosides present in diverse species. How GBA1 and GBA2 mediate β-GlcChol metabolism in the brain is unknown. Here, we purified and characterized sterylglycosides from rodent and fish brains. Although glucose is thought to be the sole carbohydrate component of sterylglycosides in vertebrates, structural analysis of rat brain sterylglycosides revealed the presence of galactosylated cholesterol (β-GalChol), in addition to β-GlcChol. Analyses of brain tissues from GBA2-deficient mice and GBA1- and/or GBA2-deficient Japanese rice fish (Oryzias latipes) revealed that GBA1 and GBA2 are responsible for β-GlcChol degradation and formation, respectively, and that both GBA1 and GBA2 are responsible for β-GalChol formation. Liquid chromatography-tandem MS revealed that β-GlcChol and β-GalChol are present throughout development from embryo to adult in the mouse brain. We found that β-GalChol expression depends on galactosylceramide (GalCer), and developmental onset of β-GalChol biosynthesis appeared to be during myelination. We also found that β-GlcChol and β-GalChol are secreted from neurons and glial cells in association with exosomes. In vitro enzyme assays confirmed that GBA1 and GBA2 have transgalactosylation activity to transfer the galactose residue from GalCer to cholesterol to form β-GalChol. This is the first report of the existence of β-GalChol in vertebrates and how β-GlcChol and β-GalChol are formed in the brain.
    Keywords:  brain; cholesterol; galactosylated cholesterol; glucocerebrosidase; glycolipid; mass spectrometry (MS); sterol; sterylglycoside; transglycosylation; β-cholesterylgalactoside
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.RA119.012502
  28. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev. 2021 Mar 12. 20 312-323
    Correction of pathology in mice displaying Gaucher disease type 1 by a clinically-applicable lentiviral vector.
    Maria Dahl, Emma M K Smith, Sarah Warsi, Michael Rothe, Maria J Ferraz, Johannes M F G Aerts, Azadeh Golipour, Claudia Harper, Richard Pfeifer, Daniella Pizzurro, Axel Schambach, Chris Mason, Stefan Karlsson.
      Gaucher disease type 1 (GD1) is an inherited lysosomal disorder with multisystemic effects in patients. Hallmark symptoms include hepatosplenomegaly, cytopenias, and bone disease with varying degrees of severity. Mutations in a single gene, glucosidase beta acid 1 (GBA1), are the underlying cause for the disorder, resulting in insufficient activity of the enzyme glucocerebrosidase, which in turn leads to a progressive accumulation of the lipid component glucocerebroside. In this study, we treat mice with signs consistent with GD1, with hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells transduced with a lentiviral vector containing an RNA transcript that, after reverse transcription, results in codon-optimized cDNA that, upon its integration into the genome encodes for functional human glucocerebrosidase. Five months after gene transfer, a highly significant reduction in glucocerebroside accumulation with subsequent reversal of hepatosplenomegaly, restoration of blood parameters, and a tendency of increased bone mass and density was evident in vector-treated mice compared to non-treated controls. Furthermore, histopathology revealed a prominent reduction of Gaucher cell infiltration after gene therapy. The vector displayed an oligoclonal distribution pattern but with no sign of vector-induced clonal dominance and a typical lentiviral vector integration profile. Cumulatively, our findings support the initiation of the first clinical trial for GD1 using the lentiviral vector described here.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.omtm.2020.11.018
  29. Spectrochim Acta A Mol Biomol Spectrosc. 2021 Jan 12. pii: S1386-1425(21)00033-0. [Epub ahead of print]251 119457
    A benzothiazole-based near-infrared fluorescent probe for sensing SO2 derivatives and viscosity in HeLa cells.
    Yibing Li, Yilin Zhu, Xuzi Cai, Jimin Guo, Cuiping Yao, Qiling Pan, Xuefeng Wang, Kang-Nan Wang.
      The unbalanced metabolism of sulfur dioxide can cause various diseases, such as neurological disorders and lung cancer. Until now, some researches revealed that the normal function of lysosomes would be disrupted by its abnormal viscosity. As a signal molecule, sulfur dioxide (SO2) plays an important role in lysosome metabolism. However, the connection of metabolism between the SO2 and viscosity in lysosomes is still unknown. Herein, we developed a benzothiazole-based near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent probe (Triph-SZ), which can monitor the SO2 derivatives and respond to the change of viscosity in lysosomes through two-photon imaging. Triph-SZ present high sensitivity and selectivity fluorescence response with the addition of SO2 derivatives based on the nucleophilic addition, and it also exhibits a sensitive fluorescence enhancement to environmental viscosity, which allows Triph-SZ to be employed to monitor the level of HSO3- and viscosity changes in lysosomes by the two-photon fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy.
    Keywords:  Near-infrared fluorescent probe; Sulfur dioxide derivatives; Two-photon fluorescence lifetime imaging; Viscosity of lysosomes
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.saa.2021.119457
  30. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Cell Res. 2021 Jan 26. pii: S0167-4889(21)00023-9. [Epub ahead of print] 118969
    GAA deficiency promotes angiogenesis through upregulation of Rac1 induced by autophagy disorder.
    Zhuoyan Li, Baolei Li, Jing Wang, Yanan Lu, Alex F Y Chen, Kun Sun, Yu Yu, Sun Chen.
      Angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels from pre-existing ones, is vital for vertebrate development and adult homeostasis. Acid α-glucosidase (GAA) is a glycoside hydrolase involved in the lysosomal breakdown of glycogen. Our previous study showed that GAA was highly expressed in mouse pulmonary veins. While whether GAA was involved in angiogenesis remained largely unknown, thus, we performed knockdown experiments both in vivo and in vitro and endothelial cell function experiments to clarify this concern point. We identified that GAA expressed widely at different levels during zebrafish embryonic development and GAA morphants showed excessive angiogenesis of ISV at later stage. In GAA knockdown HUVECs, the migration and tube formation capacity were increased, resulted from the formation of large lamellipodia-like protrusions at the edge of cells. By analyzing autophagic flux, we found that autophagy disorder was the mechanism of GAA knockdown-induced excessive angiogenesis. The block of autophagic flux caused upregulation of Rac1, a small GTPase, and the latter promoted excessive sprouts in zebrafish and enhanced angiogenic behavior in HUVECs. In addition, overexpression of transcription factor E3, a master regulator of autophagy, rescued upregulation of RAC1 and enhanced angiogenic function in GAA-knockdown HUVECs. Also, inhibition of Rac1 partly restored enhanced angiogenic function in GAA-knockdown HUVECs. Taken together, our study firstly reported a novel function of GAA in angiogenesis which is mediated by upregulation of Rac1 induced by autophagy disorder.
    Keywords:  Rac1; acid α-glucosidase; angiogenesis; autophagy; cell migration; zebrafish
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbamcr.2021.118969
  31. Blood. 2020 Dec 21. pii: blood.2020006871. [Epub ahead of print]
    Mammalian VPS45 orchestrates trafficking through the endosomal system.
    Laura Frey, Natalia Zietara, Marcin Lyszkiewicz, Benjamin Marquardt, Yoko Mizoguchi, Monika I Linder, Yanshan Liu, Florian Giesert, Wolfgang Wurst, Maik Dahlhoff, Marlon Schneider, Eckhard Wolf, Raz Somech, Christoph Klein.
      Vacuolar protein sorting 45 homolog (VPS45), a member of the Sec1/Munc18 (SM) family, has been implicated in the regulation of endosomal trafficking. VPS45 deficiency in human patients results in congenital neutropenia, bone marrow fibrosis, and extramedullary renal hematopoiesis. Detailed mechanisms of the VPS45 function are unknown. Here, we show an essential role of mammalian VPS45 in maintaining the intracellular organization of endolysosomal vesicles and promoting recycling of cell-surface receptors. Loss of VPS45 causes defective Rab5-to-Rab7 conversion resulting in trapping of cargos in early endosomes and impaired delivery to lysosomes. In this context, we demonstrate aberrant trafficking of the G-CSF receptor (G-CSFR) in the absence of VPS45. Furthermore, we find that lack of VPS45 in mice is not compatible with embryonic development. Thus, we identify mammalian VPS45 as a critical regulator of trafficking through the endosomal system and early embryogenesis of mice.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1182/blood.2020006871
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