A novel form of macropinocytosis mediates ultra-rapid transfer of pathological alpha- synuclein to lysosomes

The nervous system spread of alpha-synuclein fibrils leads to Parkinson′s disease (PD) and other synucleinopathies, yet the mechanisms underlying internalization and cell-to-cell transfer are enigmatic. Here we use confocal and superresolution microscopy, subcellular fractionation and electron microscopy of immunogold labelled alpha-synuclein pre-formed fibrils (PFF) to demonstrate that this toxic protein species enters cells using a novel form of ultra-rapid macropinocytosis with transfer to lysosomes in as little as 2 minutes, an unprecedented cell biological kinetic for lysosomal targeting. PFF uptake circumvents classical endosomal pathways and is independent of clathrin. Immunogold-labelled PFF are seen at the highly curved inward edge of membrane ruffles, in newly formed macropinosomes, and in lysosomes. While many of the fibrils remain in lysosomes that continue to take up PFF for hours, a portion are transferred to neighboring naive cells on the external face of vesicles, likely exosomes. These data indicate that PFF uses a novel internalization mechanism as a component of cell-to-cell propagation.

Lysosome-targeted lipid probes reveal sterol transporters NPC1 and LIMP2 as sphingosine transporters

Lysosomes are central catabolic organelles involved in lipid homeostasis and their dysfunction is associated with pathologies ranging from lysosomal storage disorders to common neurodegenerative diseases. The mechanism of lipid efflux from lysosomes is well understood for cholesterol, while the export of other lipids, particularly sphingosine, is less well studied. To overcome this knowledge gap, we have developed functionalized sphingosine and cholesterol probes that allow us to follow their metabolism, protein interactions as well as their subcellular localization. These probes feature a modified cage group for lysosomal targeting and controlled release of the active lipids with high temporal precision. An additional photo-crosslinkable group allowed for the discovery of lysosomal interactors for both sphingosine and cholesterol. In this way, we found that two lysosomal cholesterol transporters, NPC1 and LIMP-2/SCARB2, also directly bind to sphingosine. In addition, we showed that absence of either protein leads to lysosomal sphingosine accumulation which suggests a sphingosine transport role of both proteins. Furthermore, artificial elevation of lysosomal sphingosine levels impaired cholesterol efflux, consistent with sphingosine and cholesterol sharing a common export mechanism.

First person – Dipayan De

ABSTRACT First Person is a series of interviews with the first authors of a selection of papers published in Journal of Cell Science, helping early-career researchers promote themselves alongside their papers. Dipayan De is first author on ‘ Amyloid-β oligomers block lysosomal targeting of miRNPs to prevent miRNP recycling and target repression in glial cells’, published in JCS. Dipayan is a PhD student in the lab of Dr Suvendra N. Bhattacharyya at the CSIR Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Kolkata, India, investigating how cellular organelles regulate microRNA activity in mammalian cells.

Amyloid Beta oligomers prevents Lysosomal targeting of miRNP to stop its recycling and target repression in glial cells

On exposure to Amyloid Beta Oligomers (Aβ1-42), glial cells start expressing proinflammatory cytokines although there has been increase in repressive miRNAs levels as well. Exploring the mechanism of this potential immunity of target cytokine mRNAs against repressive miRNAs in amyloid beta exposed glial cells, we have identified differential compartmentalization of repressive miRNAs in glial cells to explain this aberrant miRNA function. While the target mRNAs were found to be associated with polysomes attached to endoplasmic reticulum, the miRNPs found to be present predominantly with endosomes that failed to recycle to endoplasmic reticulum attached polysomes to repress mRNA targets in Aβ1-42 treated cells. Aβ1-42 oligomers, by masking the Rab7 proteins on endosomal surface, affects Rab7 interaction with Rab Interacting Lysosomal Protein (RILP) to restrict lysosomal targeting and recycling of miRNPs. RNA processing body or P-body localization of the miRNPs also get enhanced in amyloid beta treated cells as a consequence of enhanced endosomal retention of miRNPs. Interestingly, depletion of P-body components partly rescues the miRNA function in glial cells exposed to amyloid beta and restricts the excess cytokine expression there.

Amyloid Beta Oligomers Prevents Lysosomal Targeting of miRNP to Stop Its Recycling and Target Cytokine Repression in Glial Cells

AbstractmRNAs encoding inflammatory cytokines are targeted by miRNAs and remain repressed in neuroglial cells. On exposure to amyloid beta 1-42 oligomers, glial cells start expressing proinflammatory cytokines although there has been increase in repressive miRNAs levels as well. Exploring the mechanism of this potential immunity of target cytokine mRNAs against repressive miRNAs in amyloid beta exposed glial cells, we have identified differential compartmentalization of repressive miRNAs in glial cells to explain this aberrant miRNA function. While the target mRNAs were found to be associated with polysomes attached to endoplasmic reticulum, the miRNPs found to be present predominantly with endosomes that failed to recycle to endoplasmic reticulum attached polysomes to repress mRNA targets in treated cells. Amyloid beta oligomers, by masking the Rab7 proteins on endosomal surface, affects Rab7 interaction with Rab Interacting Lysosomal Protein (RILP) on lysosomes to restrict endosomal maturation and its lysosomal targeting. This causes retarded miRNP targeting to lysosomes and recycling. Similar defects in miRNP retrieval has been observed in endosome maturation defective cells depleted for RILP or treated with Bafilomycin. RNA processing body localization of the miRNPs was also noted in treated cells that happens as a consequence of enhanced endosomal retention of miRNPs. Interestingly, depletion of P-body partly rescues the miRNA function in glial cells exposed to amyloid beta and restricts the excess cytokine expression there.Graphical AbstractKey PointsAmyloid beta exposure causes accumulation of inactive miR-146 miRNP to cause elevated proinflammatory cytokine production in glial cells.Amyloid beta masks Rab7-RILP interaction to reduce endosome lysosome interaction.Accumulated miRNPs failed to get targeted to lysosomes in amyloid exposed cells due to loss of endosome lysosome interactionLysosomal compartmentalization of miRNPs is required for its recycling and repression of de novo targetsAccumulated miRNPs are stored in P-Bodies and depletion of P-Bodies rescues miRNA function in amyloid exposed glial cells.

The Interplay of Host Lysosomes and Intracellular Pathogens

Lysosomes are an integral part of the intracellular defense system against microbes. Lysosomal homeostasis in the host is adaptable and responds to conditions such as infection or nutritional deprivation. Pathogens such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) and Salmonella avoid lysosomal targeting by actively manipulating the host vesicular trafficking and reside in a vacuole altered from the default lysosomal trafficking. In this review, the mechanisms by which the respective pathogen containing vacuoles (PCVs) intersect with lysosomal trafficking pathways and maintain their distinctness are discussed. Despite such active inhibition of lysosomal targeting, emerging literature shows that different pathogens or pathogen derived products exhibit a global influence on the host lysosomal system. Pathogen mediated lysosomal enrichment promotes the trafficking of a sub-set of pathogens to lysosomes, indicating heterogeneity in the host-pathogen encounter. This review integrates recent advancements on the global lysosomal alterations upon infections and the host protective role of the lysosomes against these pathogens. The review also briefly discusses the heterogeneity in the lysosomal targeting of these pathogens and the possible mechanisms and consequences.