scholarly journals Dihydroceramide desaturase directs the switch between exosome production and autophagy for neuronal maintenance

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chen-Yi Wu ◽  
Jhih-Gang Jhang ◽  
Chih-Wei Lin ◽  
Han-Chen Ho ◽  
Chih-Chiang Chan ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTExosomes play important roles in the nervous system. Mutations in the human dihydroceramide desaturase gene, DEGS1, are recently linked to severe neurological disorders, but the cause remains unknown. Here, we show that Ifc is required for the morphology and function of Drosophila photoreceptor neurons and not in the surrounding glia, but the degeneration of ifc-KO eyes can be rescued by glial expression of ifc, possibly mediated by exosomes. We develop an in vivo assay using Drosophila eye imaginal discs and show that the level and activity of Ifc correlates with the detection of exosome-like vesicles. While ifc overexpression and autophagy inhibition both enhances exosome production, combining the two had no additive effect. Moreover, ifc-KO reduces the density of the exosome precursor intraluminal vesicles (ILVs) in vivo, and DEGS1 promotes ILV formation in vitro. In conclusion, dihydroceramide desaturase promotes exosome formation and prevents its autophagic degradation in the nervous system.

1939 ◽  
Vol 32 (8) ◽  
pp. 951-958 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. H. Quastel

Blood in its passage through the brain loses oxygen and glucose at relatively high rates, the amount of oxygen disappearing being approximately equivalent to the amount of glucose consumed, calculating on the basis that the sugar is completely oxidized. The respiratory quotient of brain in vivo is unity. These facts point to the dominance of carbohydrate oxidation in brain respiration in vivo and are similar to those found in studies of brain in vitro. Various factors influence glucose oxidation in brain, e.g. changes in the ionic environment of the cells, vitamin B1, or the presence of narcotics. The latter bring about inhibitions of glucose oxidation in brain tissue which may in most cases be shown to be reversible in vitro. Glucose is not only important for the maintenance of respiration of brain but for enabling certain synthetic processes to occur. One of these is the formation of acetylcholine whose physiological significance is now well known and whose synthesis seems to be confined to the nervous system. This synthesis depends not only on the presence of glucose but on that of oxygen. The influence of glucose has been observed also in investigations on cortical potentials. An important feature of the nerve cell is its vulnerability to the lack of oxygen. Reversibility depends on the degree and duration of the anoxæmia. During insulin shock treatment studies of brain in vivo show lowered oxygen consumption and glucose utilization, these depending on the degree of hypoglycæmia. In cardiazol treatment, in vivo studies show that the oxygen content of the blood may fall to 42%. During the convulsion there is a greatly lowered arterial and venous blood-flow through the brain and cerebral anæmia becomes a marked feature. In narcosis treatment both in vitro and in vivo studies show a diminished ability of the brain to consume oxygen. It is suggested that the most significant facts to be taken into account are (1) the importance of glucose and oxygen for the metabolism and function of the nervous system, (2) the vulnerability and varying sensitivities of nerve cells to lack of oxygen and glucose, (3) the occurrence of varying degrees of cerebral anoxæmia in narcosis, insulin and cardiazol treatments.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Blanca Arango-Gonzalez ◽  
Merve Sen ◽  
Rosellina Guarascio ◽  
Kalliopi Ziaka ◽  
Eva M. del Amo ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTDue to continuously high production rates of rhodopsin (RHO) and high metabolic activity, photoreceptor neurons are especially vulnerable to defects in proteostasis. A proline to histidine substitution at position 23 (P23H) leads to production of structurally misfolded RHO, causing the most common form of autosomal dominant Retinitis Pigmentosa (adRP) in North America. The AAA-ATPase valosin-containing protein (VCP) extracts misfolded proteins from the ER membrane for cytosolic degradation. Here, we provide the first evidence that inhibition of VCP activity rescues degenerating P23H rod cells and improves their functional properties in P23H transgenic rat and P23H knock-in mouse retinae, both in vitro and in vivo. This improvement correlates with the restoration of the physiological RHO localization to rod outer segments (OS) and properly-assembled OS disks. As a single intravitreal injection suffices to deliver a long-lasting benefit in vivo, we suggest VCP inhibition as a potential therapeutic strategy for adRP patients carrying mutations in the RHO gene.


2020 ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Shelby Shrigley ◽  
Fredrik Nilsson ◽  
Bengt Mattsson ◽  
Alessandro Fiorenzano ◽  
Janitha Mudannayake ◽  
...  

Background: Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) have been proposed as an alternative source for cell replacement therapy for Parkinson’s disease (PD) and they provide the option of using the patient’s own cells. A few studies have investigated transplantation of patient-derived dopaminergic (DA) neurons in preclinical models; however, little is known about the long-term integrity and function of grafts derived from patients with PD. Objective: To assess the viability and function of DA neuron grafts derived from a patient hiPSC line with an α-synuclein gene triplication (AST18), using a clinical grade human embryonic stem cell (hESC) line (RC17) as a reference control. Methods: Cells were differentiated into ventral mesencephalic (VM)-patterned DA progenitors using an established GMP protocol. The progenitors were then either terminally differentiated to mature DA neurons in vitro or transplanted into 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) lesioned rats and their survival, maturation, function, and propensity to develop α-synuclein related pathology, were assessed in vivo. Results: Both cell lines generated functional neurons with DA properties in vitro. AST18-derived VM progenitor cells survived transplantation and matured into neuron-rich grafts similar to the RC17 cells. After 24 weeks, both cell lines produced DA-rich grafts that mediated full functional recovery; however, pathological changes were only observed in grafts derived from the α-synuclein triplication patient line. Conclusion: This data shows proof-of-principle for survival and functional recovery with familial PD patient-derived cells in the 6-OHDA model of PD. However, signs of slowly developing pathology warrants further investigation before use of autologous grafts in patients.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lan Jin ◽  
Yunhe Chen ◽  
Dan Cheng ◽  
Zhikai He ◽  
Xinyi Shi ◽  
...  

AbstractColorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most aggressive and lethal cancers. The role of autophagy in the pathobiology of CRC is intricate, with opposing functions manifested in different cellular contexts. The Yes-associated protein (YAP), a transcriptional coactivator inactivated by the Hippo tumor-suppressor pathway, functions as an oncoprotein in a variety of cancers. In this study, we found that YAP could negatively regulate autophagy in CRC cells, and consequently, promote tumor progression of CRC in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, YAP interacts with TEAD forming a complex to upregulate the transcription of the apoptosis-inhibitory protein Bcl-2, which may subsequently facilitate cell survival by suppressing autophagy-related cell death; silencing Bcl-2 expression could alleviate YAP-induced autophagy inhibition without affecting YAP expression. Collectively, our data provide evidence for YAP/Bcl-2 as a potential therapeutic target for drug exploration against CRC.


Author(s):  
Birte Weber ◽  
Niklas Franz ◽  
Ingo Marzi ◽  
Dirk Henrich ◽  
Liudmila Leppik

AbstractDue to the continued high incidence and mortality rate worldwide, there is a need to develop new strategies for the quick, precise, and valuable recognition of presenting injury pattern in traumatized and poly-traumatized patients. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been shown to facilitate intercellular communication processes between cells in close proximity as well as distant cells in healthy and disease organisms. miRNAs and proteins transferred by EVs play biological roles in maintaining normal organ structure and function under physiological conditions. In pathological conditions, EVs change the miRNAs and protein cargo composition, mediating or suppressing the injury consequences. Therefore, incorporating EVs with their unique protein and miRNAs signature into the list of promising new biomarkers is a logical next step. In this review, we discuss the general characteristics and technical aspects of EVs isolation and characterization. We discuss results of recent in vitro, in vivo, and patients study describing the role of EVs in different inflammatory diseases and traumatic organ injuries. miRNAs and protein signature of EVs found in patients with acute organ injury are also debated.


Micromachines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. 884
Author(s):  
Marta Cherubini ◽  
Scott Erickson ◽  
Kristina Haase

Acting as the primary link between mother and fetus, the placenta is involved in regulating nutrient, oxygen, and waste exchange; thus, healthy placental development is crucial for a successful pregnancy. In line with the increasing demands of the fetus, the placenta evolves throughout pregnancy, making it a particularly difficult organ to study. Research into placental development and dysfunction poses a unique scientific challenge due to ethical constraints and the differences in morphology and function that exist between species. Recently, there have been increased efforts towards generating in vitro models of the human placenta. Advancements in the differentiation of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs), microfluidics, and bioprinting have each contributed to the development of new models, which can be designed to closely match physiological in vivo conditions. By including relevant placental cell types and control over the microenvironment, these new in vitro models promise to reveal clues to the pathogenesis of placental dysfunction and facilitate drug testing across the maternal–fetal interface. In this minireview, we aim to highlight current in vitro placental models and their applications in the study of disease and discuss future avenues for these in vitro models.


Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (14) ◽  
pp. 3562
Author(s):  
Mitra Nair ◽  
Chelsea Bolyard ◽  
Tae Jin Lee ◽  
Balveen Kaur ◽  
Ji Young Yoo

Brain-specific angiogenesis inhibitor 1 (BAI1/ADGRB1) is an adhesion G protein-coupled receptor that has been found to play key roles in phagocytosis, inflammation, synaptogenesis, the inhibition of angiogenesis, and myoblast fusion. As the name suggests, it is primarily expressed in the brain, with a high expression in the normal adult and developing brain. Additionally, its expression is reduced in brain cancers, such as glioblastoma (GBM) and peripheral cancers, suggesting that BAI1 is a tumor suppressor gene. Several investigators have demonstrated that the restoration of BAI1 expression in cancer cells results in reduced tumor growth and angiogenesis. Its expression has also been shown to be inversely correlated with tumor progression, neovascularization, and peri-tumoral brain edema. One method of restoring BAI1 expression is by using oncolytic virus (OV) therapy, a strategy which has been tested in various tumor models. Oncolytic herpes simplex viruses engineered to express the secreted fragment of BAI1, called Vasculostatin (Vstat120), have shown potent anti-tumor and anti-angiogenic effects in multiple tumor models. Combining Vstat120-expressing oHSVs with other chemotherapeutic agents has also shown to increase the overall anti-tumor efficacy in both in vitro and in vivo models. In the current review, we describe the structure and function of BAI1 and summarize its application in the context of cancer treatment.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruizhao Li ◽  
Xingchen Zhao ◽  
Shu Zhang ◽  
Wei Dong ◽  
Li Zhang ◽  
...  

AbstractAutophagy is an important renal-protective mechanism in septic acute kidney injury (AKI). Receptor interacting protein kinase 3 (RIP3) has been implicated in the renal tubular injury and renal dysfunction during septic AKI. Here we investigated the role and mechanism of RIP3 on autophagy in septic AKI. We showed an activation of RIP3, accompanied by an accumulation of the autophagosome marker LC3II and the autophagic substrate p62, in the kidneys of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced septic AKI mice and LPS-treated cultured renal proximal tubular epithelial cells (PTECs). The lysosome inhibitor did not further increase the levels of LCII or p62 in LPS-treated PTECs. Moreover, inhibition of RIP3 attenuated the aberrant accumulation of LC3II and p62 under LPS treatment in vivo and in vitro. By utilizing mCherry-GFP-LC3 autophagy reporter mice in vivo and PTECs overexpression mRFP-GFP-LC3 in vitro, we observed that inhibition of RIP3 restored the formation of autolysosomes and eliminated the accumulated autophagosomes under LPS treatment. These results indicated that RIP3 impaired autophagic degradation, contributing to the accumulation of autophagosomes. Mechanistically, the nuclear translocation of transcription factor EB (TFEB), a master regulator of the lysosome and autophagy pathway, was inhibited in LPS-induced mice and LPS-treated PTECs. Inhibition of RIP3 restored the nuclear translocation of TFEB in vivo and in vitro. Co-immunoprecipitation further showed an interaction of RIP3 and TFEB in LPS-treated PTECs. Also, the expression of LAMP1 and cathepsin B, two potential target genes of TFEB involved in lysosome function, were decreased under LPS treatment in vivo and in vitro, and this decrease was rescued by inhibiting RIP3. Finally, overexpression of TFEB restored the autophagic degradation in LPS-treated PTECs. Together, the present study has identified a pivotal role of RIP3 in suppressing autophagic degradation through impeding the TFEB-lysosome pathway in septic AKI, providing potential therapeutic targets for the prevention and treatment of septic AKI.


Biology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 29
Author(s):  
Raghubendra Singh Dagur ◽  
Moses New-Aaron ◽  
Murali Ganesan ◽  
Weimin Wang ◽  
Svetlana Romanova ◽  
...  

Background: Alcohol abuse is common in people living with HIV-1 and dramaticallyenhances the severity of HIV-induced liver damage by inducing oxidative stress and lysosomaldysfunction in the liver cells. We hypothesize that the increased release of extracellular vesicles(EVs) in hepatocytes and liver humanized mouse model is linked to lysosome dysfunction. Methods:The study was performed on primary human hepatocytes and human hepatoma RLWXP-GFP (Huh7.5 cells stably transfected with CYP2E1 and XPack-GFP) cells and validated on ethanol-fed liverhumanizedfumarylacetoacetate hydrolase (Fah)-/-, Rag2-/-, common cytokine receptor gamma chainknockout (FRG-KO) mice. Cells and mice were infected with HIV-1ADA virus. Results: We observedan increase in the secretion of EVs associated with a decrease in lysosomal activity and expressionof lysosomal-associated membrane protein 1. Next-generation RNA sequencing of primary humanhepatocytes revealed 63 differentially expressed genes, with 13 downregulated and 50 upregulatedgenes in the alcohol–HIV-treated group. Upstream regulator analysis of differentially expressedgenes through Ingenuity Pathway Analysis identified transcriptional regulators affecting downstreamgenes associated with increased oxidative stress, lysosomal associated disease, and function andEVs biogenesis. Our in vitro findings were corroborated by in vivo studies on human hepatocytetransplantedhumanized mice, indicating that intensive EVs’ generation by human hepatocytes andtheir secretion to serum was associated with increased oxidative stress and reduction in lysosomalactivities triggered by HIV infection and ethanol diet. Conclusion: HIV-and-ethanol-metabolisminducedEVs release is tightly controlled by lysosome status in hepatocytes and participates in thedevelopment of double-insult-induced liver injury.


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