Nutrient-dependent regulation of autophagy through the target of rapamycin pathway

2009 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 232-236 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu-Yun Chang ◽  
Gábor Juhász ◽  
Pankuri Goraksha-Hicks ◽  
Andrew M. Arsham ◽  
Daniel R. Mallin ◽  
...  

In response to nutrient deficiency, eukaryotic cells activate macroautophagy, a degradative process in which proteins, organelles and cytoplasm are engulfed within unique vesicles called autophagosomes. Fusion of these vesicles with the endolysosomal compartment leads to breakdown of the sequestered material into amino acids and other simple molecules, which can be used as nutrient sources during periods of starvation. This process is driven by a group of autophagy-related (Atg) proteins, and is suppressed by TOR (target of rapamycin) signalling under favourable conditions. Several distinct kinase complexes have been implicated in autophagic signalling downstream of TOR. In yeast, TOR is known to control autophagosome formation in part through a multiprotein complex containing the serine/threonine protein kinase Atg1. Recent work in Drosophila and mammalian systems suggests that this complex and its regulation by TOR are conserved in higher eukaryotes, and that Atg1 has accrued additional functions including feedback regulation of TOR itself. TOR and Atg1 also control the activity of a second kinase complex containing Atg6/Beclin 1, Vps (vacuolar protein sorting) 15 and the class III PI3K (phosphoinositide 3-kinase) Vps34. During autophagy induction, Vps34 activity is mobilized from an early endosomal compartment to nascent autophagic membranes, in a TOR- and Atg1-responsive manner. Finally, the well-known TOR substrate S6K (p70 ribosomal protein S6 kinase) has been shown to play a positive role in autophagy, which may serve to limit levels of autophagy under conditions of continuously low TOR activity. Further insight into these TOR-dependent control mechanisms may support development of autophagy-based therapies for a number of pathological conditions.

2007 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 239-241 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Yan ◽  
J.M. Backer

The class III PI3K (phosphoinositide 3-kinase), Vps34 (vacuolar protein sorting 34), was first identified as a regulator of vacuolar hydrolase sorting in yeast. Unlike other PI3Ks, the Vps34 lipid kinase specifically utilizes phosphatidylinositol as a substrate, producing the single lipid product PtdIns3P. While Vps34 has been studied for some time in the context of endocytosis and vesicular trafficking, it has more recently been implicated as an important regulator of autophagy, trimeric G-protein signalling, and the mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) nutrient-sensing pathway. The present paper will focus on studies that describe the regulation of hVps34 (human Vps34) intracellular targeting and enzymatic activity in yeast and mammalian cells.


2007 ◽  
Vol 74 ◽  
pp. 47-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
David J. Gill ◽  
Hsiangling Teo ◽  
Ji Sun ◽  
Olga Perisic ◽  
Dmitry B. Veprintsev ◽  
...  

Three large protein complexes known as ESCRT I, ESCRT II and ESCRT III drive the progression of ubiquitinated membrane cargo from early endosomes to lysosomes. Several steps in this process critically depend on PtdIns3P, the product of the class III phosphoinositide 3-kinase. Our work has provided insights into the architecture, membrane recruitment and functional interactions of the ESCRT machinery. The fan-shaped ESCRT I core and the trilobal ESCRT II core are essential to forming stable, rigid scaffolds that support additional, flexibly-linked domains, which serve as gripping tools for recognizing elements of the MVB (multivesicular body) pathway: cargo protein, membranes and other MVB proteins. With these additional (non-core) domains, ESCRT I grasps monoubiquitinated membrane proteins and the Vps36 subunit of the downstream ESCRT II complex. The GLUE (GRAM-like, ubiquitin-binding on Eap45) domain extending beyond the core of the ESCRT II complex recognizes PtdIns3P-containing membranes, monoubiquitinated cargo and ESCRT I. The structure of this GLUE domain demonstrates that it has a split PH (pleckstrin homology) domain fold, with a non-typical phosphoinositide-binding pocket. Mutations in the lipid-binding pocket of the ESCRT II GLUE domain cause a strong defect in vacuolar protein sorting in yeast.


2016 ◽  
Vol 473 (15) ◽  
pp. 2251-2271 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan M. Backer

The Class III phosphoinositide 3-kinase Vps34 (vacuolar protein sorting 34) plays important roles in endocytic trafficking, macroautophagy, phagocytosis, cytokinesis and nutrient sensing. Recent studies have provided exciting new insights into the structure and regulation of this lipid kinase, and new cellular functions for Vps34 have emerged. This review critically examines the wealth of new data on this important enzyme, and attempts to integrate these findings with current models of Vps34 signalling.


2009 ◽  
Vol 417 (3) ◽  
pp. 747-755 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying Yan ◽  
Rory J. Flinn ◽  
Haiyan Wu ◽  
Rachel S. Schnur ◽  
Jonathan M. Backer

The mammalian Class III PI3K (phosphoinositide 3-kinase), hVps34 [mammalian Vps (vacuolar protein sorting) 34 homologue], is an important regulator of vesicular trafficking, autophagy and nutrient sensing. In yeast, Vps34 is associated with a putative serine/threonine protein kinase, Vps15, which is required for Vps34p activity. The mammalian homologue of Vps15p, hVps15 (formerly called p150), also binds to hVps34, but its role in hVps34 signalling has not been evaluated. In the present study we have therefore compared the activity and regulation of hVps34 expressed without or with hVps15. We find that hVps34 has low specific activity when expressed alone; co-expression with hVps15 leads to a marked increase in activity. Notably, beclin-1/UVRAG (UV radiation resistance-associated gene) activation of hVps34 requires co-expression with hVps15; this may be explained by the observation that beclin-1/UVRAG expression increases hVps34/hVps15 binding. Regulation of hVps34 activity by nutrients also requires co-expression with hVps15. Finally, given a recent report that hVps34 activity requires Ca2+/CaM (calmodulin), we considered whether hVps15 might be involved in this regulation. Although hVps34 does bind CaM, we find its activity is not affected by treatment of cells with BAPTA/AM [1,2-bis-(o-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N′,N′-tetra-acetic acid tetrakis(acetoxymethyl ester)] or W7. Removal of CaM by EDTA or EGTA washes has no effect on hVps34 activity, and hVps34 activity in vitro is unaffected by Ca2+ chelation. The results of the present study show that, in mammalian cells, hVps34 activity is regulated through its interactions with hVps15, but is independent of Ca2+/CaM.


2008 ◽  
Vol 410 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan M. Backer

The Class III PI3K (phosphoinositide 3-kinase), Vps34 (vacuolar protein sorting 34), was first described as a component of the vacuolar sorting system in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and is the sole PI3K in yeast. The homologue in mammalian cells, hVps34, has been studied extensively in the context of endocytic sorting. However, hVps34 also plays an important role in the ability of cells to respond to changes in nutrient conditions. Recent studies have shown that mammalian hVps34 is required for the activation of the mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin)/S6K1 (S6 kinase 1) pathway, which regulates protein synthesis in response to nutrient availability. In both yeast and mammalian cells, Class III PI3Ks are also required for the induction of autophagy during nutrient deprivation. Finally, mammalian hVps34 is itself regulated by nutrients. Thus Class III PI3Ks are implicated in the regulation of both autophagy and, through the mTOR pathway, protein synthesis, and thus contribute to the integration of cellular responses to changing nutritional status.


2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 206-210
Author(s):  
Feng Chen ◽  
Bei Zhang

Lupeol exhibits multiple pharmacological activities including, anticancerous, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant. The aim of this study was to explore the anticancerous activity of lupeol on ovarian cancer cells and examine its mechanism of action. To this end, increasing concentrations of lupeol on cell viability, cell cycle, and apoptosis in Caov-3 cells were evaluated. Lupeol inhibited cell viability, induced G1 phase arrest in cell cycle, increased cell apoptosis, and inhibited the ratio of phospho-Akt/protein kinase B and phospho-mammalian target of rapamycin/mammalian target of rapamycin. In conclusion, these data suggest that lupeol may play a therapeutic role in ovarian cancer.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (11) ◽  
pp. 5804
Author(s):  
Kamila Buzun ◽  
Agnieszka Gornowicz ◽  
Roman Lesyk ◽  
Krzysztof Bielawski ◽  
Anna Bielawska

Autophagy is a process of self-degradation that plays an important role in removing damaged proteins, organelles or cellular fragments from the cell. Under stressful conditions such as hypoxia, nutrient deficiency or chemotherapy, this process can also become the strategy for cell survival. Autophagy can be nonselective or selective in removing specific organelles, ribosomes, and protein aggregates, although the complete mechanisms that regulate aspects of selective autophagy are not fully understood. This review summarizes the most recent research into understanding the different types and mechanisms of autophagy. The relationship between apoptosis and autophagy on the level of molecular regulation of the expression of selected proteins such as p53, Bcl-2/Beclin 1, p62, Atg proteins, and caspases was discussed. Intensive studies have revealed a whole range of novel compounds with an anticancer activity that inhibit or activate regulatory pathways involved in autophagy. We focused on the presentation of compounds strongly affecting the autophagy process, with particular emphasis on those that are undergoing clinical and preclinical cancer research. Moreover, the target points, adverse effects and therapeutic schemes of autophagy inhibitors and activators are presented.


Cells ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 1522
Author(s):  
Sharon Tran ◽  
W. Douglas Fairlie ◽  
Erinna F. Lee

BECLIN1 is a well-established regulator of autophagy, a process essential for mammalian survival. It functions in conjunction with other proteins to form Class III Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase (PI3K) complexes to generate phosphorylated phosphatidylinositol (PtdIns), lipids essential for not only autophagy but other membrane trafficking processes. Over the years, studies have elucidated the structural, biophysical, and biochemical properties of BECLIN1, which have shed light on how this protein functions to allosterically regulate these critical processes of autophagy and membrane trafficking. Here, we review these findings and how BECLIN1’s diverse protein interactome regulates it, as well as its impact on organismal physiology.


2014 ◽  
Vol 463 (3) ◽  
pp. 413-427 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruzica Bago ◽  
Nazma Malik ◽  
Michael J. Munson ◽  
Alan R. Prescott ◽  
Paul Davies ◽  
...  

We characterize VPS34-IN, a potent and selective inhibitor of class III Vps34 PI3K. Using VPS34-IN1, we demonstrate that PtdIns(3)P, produced by Vps34 controls phosphorylation and activity of the SGK3 protein kinase.


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