Ubiquitin-binding protein p62 expression is induced during apoptosis and proteasomal inhibition in neuronal cells

Sequestosome 1 (p62) mitigates hypoxia-induced cardiac dysfunction by stabilizing hypoxia-inducible factor 1α and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2

AIMS

Heart failure due to ischaemic heart disease (IHD) is a leading cause of mortality worldwide. A major contributing factor to IHD-induced cardiac damage is hypoxia. Sequestosome 1 (p62) is a multi-functional adaptor protein with pleiotropic roles in autophagy, proteostasis, inflammation, and cancer. Despite abundant expression in cardiomyocytes, the role of p62 in cardiac physiology is not well understood. We hypothesized that cardiomyocyte-specific p62 deletion evokes hypoxia-induced cardiac pathology by impairing hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (Hif-1α) and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) signalling.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Adult mice with germline deletion of cardiomyocyte p62 exhibited mild cardiac dysfunction under normoxic conditions. Transcriptomic analyses revealed a selective impairment in Nrf2 target genes in the hearts from these mice. Demonstrating the functional importance of this adaptor protein, adult mice with inducible depletion of cardiomyocyte p62 displayed hypoxia-induced contractile dysfunction, oxidative stress, and cell death. Mechanistically, p62-depleted hearts exhibit impaired Hif-1α and Nrf2 transcriptional activity. Because findings from these two murine models suggested a cardioprotective role for p62, mechanisms were evaluated using H9c2 cardiomyoblasts. Loss of p62 in H9c2 cells exposed to hypoxia reduced Hif-1α and Nrf2 protein levels. Further, the lack of p62 decreased Nrf2 protein expression, nuclear translocation, and transcriptional activity. Repressed Nrf2 activity associated with heightened Nrf2-Keap1 co-localization in p62-deficient cells, which was concurrent with increased Nrf2 ubiquitination facilitated by the E3 ligase Cullin 3, followed by proteasomal-mediated degradation. Substantiating our results, a gain of p62 in H9c2 cells stabilized Nrf2 and increased the transcriptional activity of Nrf2 downstream targets.

CONCLUSION

Cardiac p62 mitigates hypoxia-induced cardiac dysfunction by stabilizing Hif-1α and Nrf2.

Cyclin F, Neurodegeneration, and the Pathogenesis of ALS/FTD

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is the most common form of motor neuron disease and is characterized by the degeneration of upper and lower motor neurons of the brain and spinal cord. ALS is also linked clinically, genetically, and pathologically to a form of dementia known as frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Identifying gene mutations that cause ALS/FTD has provided valuable insight into the disease process. Several ALS/FTD-causing mutations occur within proteins with roles in protein clearance systems. This includes ALS/FTD mutations in CCNF, which encodes the protein cyclin F: a component of a multiprotein E3 ubiquitin ligase that mediates the ubiquitylation of substrates for their timely degradation. In this review, we provide an update on the link between ALS/FTD CCNF mutations and neurodegeneration.

Role of microglia autophagy and mitophagy in age-related neurodegenerative diseases

Microglia, characterized by responding to damage, regulating the secretion of soluble inflammatory mediators, and engulfing specific segments in the central nervous system (CNS), function as key immune cells in the CNS. Emerging evidence suggests that microglia coordinate the inflammatory responses in CNS system and play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of age-related neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs). Remarkably, microglia autophagy participates in the regulation of subcellular substances, which includes the degradation of misfolded proteins and other harmful constituents produced by neurons. Therefore, microglia autophagy regulates neuronal homeostasis maintenance and process of neuroinflammation. In this review, we aimed at highlighting the pivotal role of microglia autophagy in the pathogenesis of age-related NDDs. Besides the mechanistic process and the co-interaction between microglia autophagy and different kinds of NDDs, we also emphasized potential therapeutic agents and approaches that could be utilized at the onset and progression of these diseases through modulating microglia autophagy, including promising nanomedicines. Our review provides a valuable reference for subsequent studies focusing on treatments of neurodegenerative disorders. The exploration of microglia autophagy and the development of nanomedicines greatly enhances current understanding of NDDs.

Autophagy Dysfunction in ALS: from Transport to Protein Degradation

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease affecting upper and lower motor neurons (MNs). Since the identification of the first ALS mutation in 1993, more than 40 genes have been associated with the disorder. The most frequent genetic causes of ALS are represented by mutated genes whose products challenge proteostasis, becoming unable to properly fold and consequently aggregating into inclusions that impose proteotoxic stress on affected cells. In this context, increasing evidence supports the central role played by autophagy dysfunctions in the pathogenesis of ALS. Indeed, in early stages of disease, high levels of proteins involved in autophagy are present in ALS MNs; but at the same time, with neurodegeneration progression, autophagy-mediated degradation decreases, often as a result of the accumulation of toxic protein aggregates in affected cells. Autophagy is a complex multistep pathway that has a central role in maintaining cellular homeostasis. Several proteins are involved in its tight regulation, and importantly a relevant fraction of ALS-related genes encodes products that directly take part in autophagy, further underlining the relevance of this key protein degradation system in disease onset and progression. In this review, we report the most relevant findings concerning ALS genes whose products are involved in the several steps of the autophagic pathway, from phagophore formation to autophagosome maturation and transport and finally to substrate degradation.

The converging roles of sequestosome-1/p62 in the molecular pathways of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD)

Investigations into the pathogenetic mechanisms underlying amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) have provided significant insight into the disease. At the cellular level, ALS and FTD are classified as proteinopathies, which is motor neuron degeneration and death characterized by pathological protein aggregates or dysregulated proteostasis. At both the clinical and molecular level there are common signaling pathways dysregulated across the ALS and FTD spectrum (ALS/FTD). Sequestosome-1/p62 is a multifunctional scaffold protein with roles in several signaling pathways including proteostasis, protein degradation via the ubiquitin proteasome system and autophagy, the antioxidant response, inflammatory response, and apoptosis. Notably these pathways are dysregulated in ALS and FTD. Mutations in the functional domains of p62 provide links to the pathogenetic mechanisms of p62 and dyshomeostasis of p62 levels is noted in several types of ALS and FTD. We present here that the dysregulated ALS and FTD signaling pathways are linked, with p62 converging the molecular mechanisms. This review summarizes the current literature on the complex role of p62 in the pathogenesis across the ALS/FTD spectrum. The focus is on the underlying convergent molecular mechanisms of ALS and FTD-associated proteins and pathways that dysregulate p62 levels or are dysregulated by p62, with emphasis on how p62 is implicated across the ALS/FTD spectrum.

FTLD Patient-Derived Fibroblasts Show Defective Mitochondrial Function and Accumulation of p62

Frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) is a clinically, genetically, and neuropathologically heterogeneous group of neurodegenerative syndromes, leading to progressive cognitive dysfunction and frontal and temporal atrophy. C9orf72 hexanucleotide repeat expansion (C9-HRE) is the most common genetic cause of FTLD, but pathogenic mechanisms underlying FTLD are not fully understood. Here, we compared cellular features and functional properties, especially related to protein degradation pathways and mitochondrial function, of FTLD patient–derived skin fibroblasts from C9-HRE carriers and non-carriers and healthy donors. Fibroblasts from C9-HRE carriers were found to produce RNA foci, but no dipeptide repeat proteins, and they showed unchanged levels of C9orf72 mRNA transcripts. The main protein degradation pathways, the ubiquitin–proteasome system and autophagy, did not show alterations between the fibroblasts from C9-HRE-carrying and non-carrying FTLD patients and compared to healthy controls. An increase in the number and size of p62-positive puncta was evident in fibroblasts from both C9-HRE carriers and non-carriers. In addition, several parameters of mitochondrial function, namely, basal and maximal respiration and respiration linked to ATP production, were significantly reduced in the FTLD patient–derived fibroblasts from both C9-HRE carriers and non-carriers. Our findings suggest that FTLD patient–derived fibroblasts, regardless of whether they carry the C9-HRE expansion, show unchanged proteasomal and autophagic function, but significantly impaired mitochondrial function and increased accumulation of p62 when compared to control fibroblasts. These findings suggest the possibility of utilizing FTLD patient–derived fibroblasts as a platform for biomarker discovery and testing of drugs targeted to specific cellular functions, such as mitochondrial respiration.

Apoptosis, Autophagy, Necrosis and Their Multi Galore Crosstalk in Neurodegeneration

The progression of neurodegenerative disorders is mainly characterized by immense neuron loss and death of glial cells. The mechanisms which are active and regulate neuronal cell death are namely necrosis, necroptosis, autophagy and apoptosis. These death paradigms are governed by a set of molecular determinants that are pivotal in their performance and also exhibit remarkable overlapping functional pathways. A large number of such molecules have been demonstrated to be involved in the switching of death paradigms in various neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, we discuss various molecules and the concurrent crosstalk mediated by them. According to our present knowledge and research in neurodegeneration, molecules like Atg1, Beclin1, LC3, p53, TRB3, RIPK1 play switching roles toggling from one death mechanism to another. In addition, the review also focuses on the exorbitant number of newer molecules with the potential to cross communicate between death pathways and create a complex cell death scenario. This review highlights recent studies on the inter-dependent regulation of cell death paradigms in neurodegeneration, mediated by cross-communication between pathways. This will help in identifying potential targets for therapeutic intervention in neurodegenerative diseases.

Autophagy and ALS: mechanistic insights and therapeutic implications

Mechanisms of protein homeostasis are crucial for overseeing the clearance of misfolded and toxic proteins over the lifetime of an organism, thereby ensuring the health of neurons and other cells of the central nervous system. The highly conserved pathway of autophagy is particularly necessary for preventing and counteracting pathogenic insults that may lead to neurodegeneration. In line with this, mutations in genes that encode essential autophagy factors result in impaired autophagy and lead to neurodegenerative conditions such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). However, the mechanistic details underlying the neuroprotective role of autophagy, neuronal resistance to autophagy induction, and the neuron-specific effects of autophagy-impairing mutations remain incompletely defined. Further, the manner and extent to which non-cell autonomous effects of autophagy dysfunction contribute to ALS pathogenesis are not fully understood. Here, we review the current understanding of the interplay between autophagy and ALS pathogenesis by providing an overview of critical steps in the autophagy pathway, with special focus on pivotal factors impaired by ALS-causing mutations, their physiologic effects on autophagy in disease models, and the cell type-specific mechanisms regulating autophagy in non-neuronal cells which, when impaired, can contribute to neurodegeneration. This review thereby provides a framework not only to guide further investigations of neuronal autophagy but also to refine therapeutic strategies for ALS and related neurodegenerative diseases.Abbreviations: ALS: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; Atg: autophagy-related; CHMP2B: charged multivesicular body protein 2B; DPR: dipeptide repeat; FTD: frontotemporal dementia; iPSC: induced pluripotent stem cell; LIR: LC3-interacting region; MAP1LC3/LC3: microtubule associated protein 1 light chain 3; MTOR: mechanistic target of rapamycin kinase; PINK1: PTEN induced kinase 1; RNP: ribonuclear protein; sALS: sporadic ALS; SPHK1: sphingosine kinase 1; TARDBP/TDP-43: TAR DNA binding protein; TBK1: TANK-binding kinase 1; TFEB: transcription factor EB; ULK: unc-51 like autophagy activating kinase; UPR: unfolded protein response; UPS: ubiquitin-proteasome system; VCP: valosin containing protein.

Total ginsenosides induce autophagic cell death in cervical cancer cells accompanied by downregulation of bone marrow stromal antigen-2

Ginsenosides are important active components in Panax ginseng. In the present study, total ginsenosides (TGNs) were demonstrated to enhance autophagy by promoting acidic vacuole organelle formation, recruitment of enhanced green fluorescent protein-microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 and expression of autophagy-related factors in cervical cancer cell lines. TGN markedly increased the expression of p62 at the transcriptional level, but decreased p62 protein expression in the presence of actinomycin D. The autophagic regulatory effect was reversible. TGN (≤120 µg/ml) did not affect the proliferation of cervical cancer cells under normal culture conditions, but markedly inhibited the growth of serum-deprived cells. Treatment with an inhibitor of autophagy (3-methyladenine) impaired TGN-induced cell death. This suggested that TGN caused autophagic cell death. In addition, western blot analysis demonstrated that the protein level of bone marrow stromal antigen-2 (BST-2) was downregulated by TGN. Upregulation of BST-2 reduced cell death. The results of the combined actions of various monomeric ginsenosides in TGN provide the molecular basis to develop TGN as a promising candidate for cancer therapy.

Reverse engineering Lewy bodies: how far have we come and how far can we go?

Lewy bodies (LBs) are α-synuclein (α-syn)-rich intracellular inclusions that are an important pathological hallmark of Parkinson disease and several other neurodegenerative diseases. Increasing evidence suggests that the aggregation of α-syn has a central role in LB formation and is one of the key processes that drive neurodegeneration and pathology progression in Parkinson disease. However, little is known about the mechanisms underlying the formation of LBs, their biochemical composition and ultrastructural properties, how they evolve and spread with disease progression, and their role in neurodegeneration. In this Review, we discuss current knowledge of α-syn pathology, including the biochemical, structural and morphological features of LBs observed in different brain regions. We also review the most used cellular and animal models of α-syn aggregation and pathology spreading in relation to the extent to which they reproduce key features of authentic LBs. Finally, we provide important insights into molecular and cellular determinants of LB formation and spreading, and highlight the critical need for more detailed and systematic characterization of α-syn pathology, at both the biochemical and structural levels. This would advance our understanding of Parkinson disease and other neurodegenerative diseases and allow the development of more-reliable disease models and novel effective therapeutic strategies.

Glucocorticoid-induced autophagy and apoptosis in bone

Glucocorticoids are widely prescribed to treat various allergic and autoimmune diseases; however, long-term use results in glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis, characterized by consistent changes in bone remodeling with decreased bone formation as well as increased bone resorption. Not only bone mass but also bone quality decrease, resulting in an increased incidence of fractures. The primary role of autophagy is to clear up damaged cellular components such as long-lived proteins and organelles, thus participating in the conservation of different cells. Apoptosis is the physiological death of cells, and plays a crucial role in the stability of the environment inside a tissue. Available basic and clinical studies indicate that autophagy and apoptosis induced by glucocorticoids can regulate bone metabolism through complex mechanisms. In this review, we summarize the relationship between apoptosis, autophagy and bone metabolism related to glucocorticoids, providing a theoretical basis for therapeutic targets to rescue bone mass and bone quality in glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis.

ALS-associated TBK1 variant p.G175S is defective in phosphorylation of p62 and impacts TBK1-mediated signalling and TDP-43 autophagic degradation

Mutations affecting SQSTM1 coding for p62 and TANK-Binding Kinase 1 (TBK1) have been implicated in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD). TBK1 is a serine-threonine kinase that regulates p62's activity as an autophagy receptor via phosphorylation and also has roles in neuroinflammatory signalling pathways. The mechanisms underlying ALS and FTLD pathogenesis as a result of TBK1 mutations are incompletely understood, however, loss of TBK1 function can lead to dysregulated autophagy and mitophagy. Here, we report that an ALS-associated TBK1 variant affecting the kinase domain, p.G175S, is defective in phosphorylation of p62 at Ser-403, a modification critical for regulating its ubiquitin-binding function, as well as downstream phosphorylation at Ser-349. Consistent with these findings, expression of p.G175S TBK1 was associated with decreased induction of autophagy compared to wild type and reduced degradation of the ALS-linked protein TDP-43. Expression of wild type TBK1 increased NF-κB signalling ~300 fold in comparison to empty vector cells, whereas p.G175S TBK1 was unable to promote NF-κB signalling above levels observed in empty vector transfected cells. We also noted a hitherto unknown role for TBK1 as a suppressor of oxidative stress (Nrf2) signalling and show that p.G175S TBK1 expressing cells lose this inhibitory function. Our data suggest that TBK1 ALS mutations may broadly impair p62-mediated cell signalling, which ultimately may reduce neuronal survival, in addition TDP-43 was not efficiently degraded, together these effects may contribute to TBK1 mutation associated ALS and FTLD pathogenesis.

How Do Post-Translational Modifications Influence the Pathomechanistic Landscape of Huntington's Disease? A Comprehensive Review

Huntington’s disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant inherited neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the loss of motor control and cognitive ability, which eventually leads to death. The mutant huntingtin protein (HTT) exhibits an expansion of a polyglutamine repeat. The mechanism of pathogenesis is still not fully characterized; however, evidence suggests that post-translational modifications (PTMs) of HTT and upstream and downstream proteins of neuronal signaling pathways are involved. The determination and characterization of PTMs are essential to understand the mechanisms at work in HD, to define possible therapeutic targets better, and to challenge the scientific community to develop new approaches and methods. The discovery and characterization of a panoply of PTMs in HTT aggregation and cellular events in HD will bring us closer to understanding how the expression of mutant polyglutamine-containing HTT affects cellular homeostasis that leads to the perturbation of cell functions, neurotoxicity, and finally, cell death. Hence, here we review the current knowledge on recently identified PTMs of HD-related proteins and their pathophysiological relevance in the formation of abnormal protein aggregates, proteolytic dysfunction, and alterations of mitochondrial and metabolic pathways, neuroinflammatory regulation, excitotoxicity, and abnormal regulation of gene expression.

The role of sequestosome 1/p62 protein in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia pathogenesis

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal lobar degeneration are multifaceted diseases with genotypic, pathological and clinical overlap. One such overlap is the presence of SQSTM1/p62 mutations. While traditionally mutations manifesting in the ubiquitin-associated domain of p62 were associated with Paget’s disease of bone, mutations affecting all functional domains of p62 have now been identified in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal lobar degeneration patients. p62 is a multifunctional protein that facilitates protein degradation through autophagy and the ubiquitin-proteasome system, and also regulates cell survival via the Nrf2 antioxidant response pathway, the nuclear factor-kappa B signaling pathway and apoptosis. Dysfunction in these signaling and protein degradation pathways have been observed in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal lobar degeneration, and mutations that affect the role of p62 in these pathways may contribute to disease pathogenesis. In this review we discuss the role of p62 in these pathways, the effects of p62 mutations and the effect of mutations in the p62 modulator TANK-binding kinase 1, in relation to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-frontotemporal lobar degeneration pathogenesis.

The effect of a bout of resistance exercise on skeletal muscle protein metabolism after severe fasting

Resistance exercise (RE) activates the mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) signaling pathway and increases muscle protein synthesis. Severe fasting induces 5' adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), which attenuates mTORC1 activation. However, the effect of RE on the response of mTORC1 signaling proteins after a period of severe fasting is unclear. We investigated the effect of RE on rat skeletal muscle protein metabolism after a period of severe fasting. We hypothesized that RE-induced activation of mTORC1 signaling protein attenuates protein breakdown by autophagy. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into ordinary-fed (C) and 72-h fasting (F) groups. A bout of RE was replicated by percutaneous electrical stimulation in the right gastrocnemius muscle. The tuberous sclerosis complex 2 (TSC2) Ser1387 and autophagy marker of microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B-light chain 3-II (LC3B-II) expression of the F group increased twice that of the C group in sedentary state (P < 0.05). RE activated the mTORC1 signaling pathway in both groups (P < 0.05); however, in the F group, the magnitude of p70S6K (Thr389) phosphorylation was lower by 40% of that of the C group (P < 0.05). Protein synthesis after RE was increased by 50% from the level at sedentary state in the C group (P < 0.05), but not in the F. In the F group, the expression of LC3B-II at 3 h after RE was decreased by almost 25% from the level at sedentary state (P < 0.05). Our results suggest that RE suppressed fasting-induced autophagy but did not increase protein synthesis during severe fasting in rat skeletal muscle.

Cellular Responses to Proteasome Inhibition: Molecular Mechanisms and Beyond

Proteasome inhibitors have been actively tested as potential anticancer drugs and in the treatment of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Unfortunately, cells adapt to survive in the presence of proteasome inhibitors activating a variety of cell responses that explain why these therapies have not fulfilled their expected results. In addition, all proteasome inhibitors tested and approved by the FDA have caused a variety of side effects in humans. Here, we describe the different types of proteasome complexes found within cells and the variety of regulators proteins that can modulate their activities, including those that are upregulated in the context of inflammatory processes. We also summarize the adaptive cellular responses activated during proteasome inhibition with special emphasis on the activation of the Autophagic-Lysosomal Pathway (ALP), proteaphagy, p62/SQSTM1 enriched-inclusion bodies, and proteasome biogenesis dependent on Nrf1 and Nrf2 transcription factors. Moreover, we discuss the role of IRE1 and PERK sensors in ALP activation during ER stress and the involvement of two deubiquitinases, Rpn11 and USP14, in these processes. Finally, we discuss the aspects that should be currently considered in the development of novel strategies that use proteasome activity as a therapeutic target for the treatment of human diseases.

Autophagy Induction by Bexarotene Promotes Mitophagy in Presenilin 1 Familial Alzheimer's Disease iPSC-Derived Neural Stem Cells

Adult neurogenesis defects have been demonstrated in the brains of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. The neurogenesis impairment is an early critical event in the course of familiar AD (FAD) associated with neuronal loss. It was suggested that neurologic dysfunction in AD may be caused by impaired functioning of hippocampal neural stem cells (NSCs). Multiple metabolic and structural abnormalities in neural mitochondria have long been suspected to play a critical role in AD pathophysiology. We hypothesize that the cause of such abnormalities could be defective elimination of damaged mitochondria. In the present study, we evaluated mitophagy efficacy in a cellular AD model, hiPSC-derived NSCs harboring the FAD-associated PS1 M146L mutation. We found several mitochondrial respiratory chain defects such as lower expression levels of cytochrome c oxidase (complex IV), cytochrome c reductase (complex III), succinate dehydrogenase (complex II), NADH:CoQ reductase (complex I), and also ATP synthase (complex V), most of which had been previously associated with AD. The mitochondrial network morphology and abundance in these cells was aberrant. This was associated with a marked mitophagy failure stemming from autophagy induction blockage, and deregulation of the expression of proteins involved in mitochondrial dynamics. We show that treating these cells with autophagy-stimulating drug bexarotene restored autophagy and compensated mitochondrial anomalies in PS1 M146L NSCs, by enhancing the clearance of mitochondria. Our data support the hypothesis that pharmacologically induced mitophagy enhancement is a relevant and novel therapeutic strategy for the treatment of AD.

Autophagy-lysosomal defect in human CADASIL vascular smooth muscle cells

Cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL) is a familial progressive degenerative disorder and is caused by mutations in NOTCH3 gene. Previous study reported that mutant NOTCH3 is more prone to form aggregates than wild-type NOTCH3 and the mutant aggregates are resistant to degradation. We hypothesized that aggregation or accumulation of NOTCH3 could be due to impaired lysosomal-autophagy machinery in VSMC. Here, we investigated the possible cause of accumulation/aggregation of NOTCH3 in CADASIL using cerebral VSMCs derived from control and CADASIL patients carrying NOTCH3^R133C mutation. Thioflavin-S-staining confirmed the increased accumulation of aggregated NOTCH3 in VSMC^R133C compared to VSMC^WT. Increased levels of the lysosomal marker, Lamp2, were detected in VSMC^R133C, which also showed co-localization with NOTCH3 using double-immunohistochemistry. Increased level of LC3-II/LC3-I ratio was observed in VSMC^R133C suggesting an accumulation of autophagosomes. This was coupled with the decreased co-localization of NOTCH3 with LC3, and Lamp2 and, further, increase of p62/SQSTM1 levels in VSMC^R133C compared to the VSMC^WT. In addition, Western blot analysis indicated phosphorylation of p-ERK, p-S6RP, and p-P70 S6K. Altogether, these results suggested a dysfunction in the autophagy-lysosomal pathway in VSMC^R133C. The present study provides an interesting avenue of the research investigating the molecular mechanism of CADASIL.

Aberrant subcellular localization of SQSTM1/p62 contributes to increased vulnerability to proteotoxic stress recovery in Huntington's disease

Proteotoxic stress plays an important role in the pathogenesis of Huntington's disease (HD). Autophagy is proposed as a compensatory mechanism to remove protein aggregates under proteotoxic stress by up-regulating p62 expression. In the present study, we investigated the molecular action of p62 to proteotoxic stress in HD cells. Using two different HD cellular models, STHdhQ7 and STHdhQ111 cells derived from wild type and HD knock-in mice and human fibroblasts from healthy and HD patients, we found that HD cells are more vulnerable to cell death under proteotoxic stress and during stress recovery. We further showed that P62 was up-regulated in both STHdhQ7 and STHdhQ111 cells in response to the stress with distinct subcellular localization patterns. While dispersed p62 puncti were found in STHdhQ7 cells, p62 bodies were initially present in the lysosomes and accumulated to the juxtanuclear regions of STHdhQ111 cells as MG132 incubation continued. Unlike in STHdhQ7 cells, p62 puncti were not associated with K48-linked polyubiquitinated protein aggregates or proteasomal components in STHdhQ111. Interestingly, addition of cysteine during MG132 incubation rescued cell death in STHdhQ111 cells caused by stress recovery and altered the subcellular distribution of p62. Our data suggest that aberrant positioning of p62 affects the proteasomal clearance of protein aggregates and may contribute to the increased vulnerability to proteotoxic stress-induced cell death in HD cells.

Sequestosome1/p62 protects mouse embryonic fibroblasts against low-dose methylercury-induced cytotoxicity and is involved in clearance of ubiquitinated proteins

Methylmercury (MeHg) is a widely distributed environmental pollutant that causes a series of cytotoxic effects. However, molecular mechanisms underlying MeHg toxicity are not fully understood. Here, we report that sequestosome1/p62 protects mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) against low-dose MeHg cytotoxicity via clearance of MeHg-induced ubiquitinated proteins. p62 mRNA and protein expression in MEFs were temporally induced by MeHg exposure p62-deficient MEFs exhibited higher sensitivity to MeHg exposure compared to their wild-type (WT) counterparts. An earlier and higher level of accumulation of ubiquitinated proteins was detected in p62-deficient cells compared with WT MEFs. Confocal microscopy revealed that p62 and ubiquitinated proteins co-localized in the perinuclear region of MEFs following MeHg treatment. Further analysis of MEFs revealed that ubiquitinated proteins co-localized with LC3-positive puncta upon co-treatment with MeHg and chloroquine, an autophagy inhibitor. In contrast, there was minimal co-localization in p62-deficient MEFs. The present study, for the first time, examined the expression and distribution of p62 and ubiquitinated proteins in cells exposed to low-dose MeHg. Our findings suggest that p62 is crucial for cytoprotection against MeHg-induced toxicity and is required for MeHg-induced ubiquitinated protein clearance.

The TRPV1 ion channel regulates thymocyte differentiation by modulating autophagy and proteasome activity

Autophagy and the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) control thymus cell homeostasis under resting and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress conditions. Several evidence support a cross-talk between UPS and autophagy; abrogation of UPS responses stimulates autophagy, and vice versa the inhibition of autophagy alters the UPS functions.

Herein, we found that TRPV1 activation induces ER stress, proteasome dysfunction and autophagy in thymocytes by modulating the expression of UPR-related genes. The TRPV1-mediated autophagy prevents the UPR activation by inhibiting BiP, Grp94 and ERp57 chaperone protein expression.

Thymocytes from TRPV1 KO mice display both autophagy and proteasome dysfunctions, resulting in increased apoptotic cells and reduced total DP thymocyte number.

In addition, positive selection of thymocytes triggered by anti-TCRβ/CD2 Ab-mediated costimulation induces apoptosis in thymocytes from TRPV1 KO as compared with WT mice. Stimulation of TRPV1 KO thymocytes with anti-TCRβ/CD2 mAbs modulates the expression of CD4 antigen on purified DP thymocytes, with reduced number of mature, single positive (SP) CD4 and increased number of immature SP CD4^low and DP CD4^lowCD8⁺ thymocytes, further supporting the intrinsic role of TRPV1 in T cell maturation. Finally, a reduction in CD8⁺ and CD4⁺ T cells is evidenced in the peripheral blood and spleen of TRPV1 KO, as compared with WT mice. Therapeutic strategy by restraining or stimulating the TRPV1 expression and functions in thymocytes might represent a new pharmacological tool in the regulation of different inflammatory T cell responses.

Mitophagy Failure in Fibroblasts and iPSC-Derived Neurons of Alzheimer's Disease-Associated Presenilin 1 Mutation

Familial Alzheimer’s disease (FAD) is clearly related with the accumulation of amyloid-beta (Aβ) and its deleterious effect on mitochondrial function is well established. Anomalies in autophagy have also been described in these patients. In the present work, functional analyses have been performed to study mitochondrial recycling process in patient-derived fibroblasts and neurons from induced pluripotent stem cells harboring the presenilin 1 mutation A246E. Mitophagy impairment was observed due to a diminished autophagy degradation phase associated with lysosomal anomalies, thus causing the accumulation of dysfunctional mitochondria labeled by Parkin RBR E3 ubiquitin protein ligase (PARK2). The failure of mitochondrial recycling by autophagy was enhanced in the patient-derived neuronal model. Our previous studies have demonstrated similar mitophagy impairment in sporadic Alzheimer’s disease (AD); therefore, our data indicate that mitophagy deficiency should be considered a common nexus between familial and sporadic cases of the disease.

Tumor necrosis factor alpha stimulates p62 accumulation and enhances proteasome activity independently of ROS

Circulating TNF-α levels are elevated in a wide variety of cardiovascular pathologies including congestive heart failure (CHF). This cytokine is one of the leading mediators of the immune inflammatory response with widespread biological functions regulated by membrane receptors. The pathophysiological implication of the downstream effects of activating the TNF-α system in CHF appears to depend on its direct effects on the heart and endothelium. Evidence supporting the notion that circulating TNF-α promotes protein breakdown was initially obtained from studies utilizing transgenic animals overexpressing TNF-α, animals with experimental diseases that augment TNF-α and in animals treated with exogenous TNF-α. It was then demonstrated that TNF-α acts directly on cultured myotubes to stimulate catabolism; however, whether the effects are the same in the heart remains poorly understood. The present study shows that TNF-α treatment induces autophagy, but clearance through this pathway appears obstructed and, consequently, results in increased protein ubiquitination. Furthermore, prolonged TNF-α treatment enhanced E3 ubiquitin ligase expression but reduced activity of the proteasome. These results suggest that TNF-α induces sarcomeric dysfunction and remodeling by disrupting autophagy and elevating the degradation of myofibrillar proteins. Therefore, myocardial remodeling, as a consequence to reduced contractile proteins, contributes to contractile dysfunction, a symptom often observed in the end stages of CHF.

Autophagy receptor defects and ALS-FTLD

Various pathophysiological mechanisms have been implicated in the ALS-FTLD clinicopathological spectrum of neurodegenerative disorders. Here we focus on the role of autophagy, an intracellular catabolic pathway, in these conditions. Growing evidence suggests that the autophagic process can be disturbed in ALS-FTLD, including by genetic mutations affecting autophagy receptor proteins (ubiquilin-2, optineurin, SQSTM1/p62) and regulators (VCP). Such mutations may impair clearance of autophagy substrates with pathological consequences. Recent studies have also uncovered a direct connection between autophagy and RNA processing, supporting an integrated model connecting several ALS-FTLD associated gene products. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled 'Neuronal Protein'.

Proteasome inhibitors activate autophagy involving inhibition of PI3K-Akt-mTOR pathway as an anti-oxidation defense in human RPE cells

The two major intracellular protein degradation systems, the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) and autophagy, work collaboratively in many biological processes including development, apoptosis, aging, and countering oxidative injuries. We report here that, in human retinal pigment epithelial cells (RPE), ARPE-19 cells, proteasome inhibitors, clasto-lactacystinβ-lactone (LA) or epoxomicin (Epo), at non-lethal doses, increased the protein levels of autophagy-specific genes Atg5 and Atg7 and enhanced the conversion of microtubule-associated protein light chain (LC3) from LC3-I to its lipidative form, LC3-II, which was enhanced by co-addition of the saturated concentration of Bafilomycin A1 (Baf). Detection of co-localization for LC3 staining and labeled-lysosome further confirmed autophagic flux induced by LA or Epo. LA or Epo reduced the phosphorylation of the protein kinase B (Akt), a downstream target of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinases (PI3K), and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) in ARPE-19 cells; by contrast, the induced changes of autophagy substrate, p62, showed biphasic pattern. The autophagy inhibitor, Baf, attenuated the reduction in oxidative injury conferred by treatment with low doses of LA and Epo in ARPE-19 cells exposed to menadione (VK3) or 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE). Knockdown of Atg7 with siRNA in ARPE-19 cells reduced the protective effects of LA or Epo against VK3. Overall, our results suggest that treatment with low levels of proteasome inhibitors confers resistance to oxidative injury by a pathway involving inhibition of the PI3K-Akt-mTOR pathway and activation of autophagy.

Regulation of proteasomes in prion disease

The hallmark of prion disease is the accumulation of misfolded protein PrP(Sc), which is toxic to neuronal cells. The proteasome system is responsible for the rapid, precise, and timely degradation of proteins and plays an important role in cellular protein quality control. Increasing evidence indicates impaired activity of proteasomes in prion diseases. Accumulated PrP(Sc) can directly or indirectly affect proteasome activity. Misfolded protein may influence the assembly and activity of 19S regulatory particle, or post-translational modification of 20S proteasome, which may adversely affect the protein degradation activity of proteasomes. In this review, we summarized the recent findings concerning the possible regulation of proteasomes in prion and other neurodegenerative diseases. The proteasome system may enhance its degradation activity by changing its structure, and this activity can also be increased by related chaperones when neuronal cells are subject to stress. When the proteasome system is inhibited, degradation of protein aggregates via autophagy may increase as a compensatory system. It is possible that a balance exists between the proteasome and autophagy in vivo; when one is impaired, the activity of the other may increase to maintain homeostasis. However, more studies are needed to elucidate the relationship between the proteasome system and autophagy.

Metabolism and mis-metabolism of the neuropathological signature protein TDP-43

TDP-43 (also known as TARDBP) is a pathological signature protein of neurodegenerative diseases, with TDP-43 proteinopathies including frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD)-TDP and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)-TDP. These TDP-43 proteinopathies are characterized by cytoplasmic insoluble TDP-43-positive aggregates in the diseased cells, the formation of which requires the seeding of TDP-25 fragment generated by caspase cleavage of TDP-43. We have investigated the metabolism and mis-metabolism of TDP-43 in cultured cells and found that endogenous and exogenously overexpressed TDP-43 is degraded not only by the ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) and macroautophagy, but also by the chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA) mediated through an interaction between Hsc70 (also known as HSPA8) and ubiquitylated TDP-43. Furthermore, proteolytic cleavage of TDP-43 by caspase(s) is a necessary intermediate step for degradation of the majority of the TDP-43 protein, with the TDP-25 and TDP-35 fragments being the main substrates. Finally, we have determined the threshold level of the TDP-25 fragment that is necessary for formation of the cytosolic TDP-43-positive aggregates in cells containing the full-length TDP-43 at an elevated level close to that found in patients with TDP-43 proteinopathies. A comprehensive model of the metabolism and mis-metabolism of TDP-43 in relation to these findings is presented.

Increased expression of p62/SQSTM1 in prion diseases and its association with pathogenic prion protein

Prion diseases are neurodegenerative disorders characterized by the aggregation of abnormally folded prion protein (PrP^Sc). In this study, we focused on the mechanism of clearance of PrP^Sc, which remains unclear. p62 is a cytosolic protein known to mediate both the formation and degradation of aggregates of abnormal proteins. The levels of p62 protein increased in prion-infected brains and persistently infected cell cultures. Upon proteasome inhibition, p62 co-localized with PrP^Sc, forming a large aggregate in the perinuclear region, hereafter referred to as PrP^Sc-aggresome. These aggregates were surrounded with autophagosome marker LC3 and lysosomes in prion-infected cells. Moreover, transient expression of the phosphomimic form of p62, which has enhanced ubiquitin-binding activity, reduced the amount of PrP^Sc in prion-infected cells, indicating that the activation of p62 could accelerate the clearance of PrP^Sc. Our findings would thus suggest that p62 could be a target for the therapeutic control of prion diseases.

Arginine vasopressin neuronal loss results from autophagy-associated cell death in a mouse model for familial neurohypophysial diabetes insipidus

Familial neurohypophysial diabetes insipidus (FNDI) characterized by progressive polyuria is mostly caused by mutations in the gene encoding neurophysin II (NPII), which is the carrier protein of the antidiuretic hormone, arginine vasopressin (AVP). Although accumulation of mutant NPII in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) could be toxic for AVP neurons, the precise mechanisms of cell death of AVP neurons, reported in autopsy studies, remain unclear. Here, we subjected FNDI model mice to intermittent water deprivation (WD) in order to promote the phenotypes. Electron microscopic analyses demonstrated that, while aggregates are confined to a certain compartment of the ER in the AVP neurons of FNDI mice with water access ad libitum, they were scattered throughout the dilated ER lumen in the FNDI mice subjected to WD for 4 weeks. It is also demonstrated that phagophores, the autophagosome precursors, emerged in the vicinity of aggregates and engulfed the ER containing scattered aggregates. Immunohistochemical analyses revealed that expression of p62, an adapter protein between ubiquitin and autophagosome, was elicited on autophagosomal membranes in the AVP neurons, suggesting selective autophagy induction at this time point. Treatment of hypothalamic explants of green fluorescent protein (GFP)-microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3) transgenic mice with an ER stressor thapsigargin increased the number of GFP-LC3 puncta, suggesting that ER stress could induce autophagosome formation in the hypothalamus of wild-type mice as well. The cytoplasm of AVP neurons in FNDI mice was occupied with vacuoles in the mice subjected to WD for 12 weeks, when 30–40% of AVP neurons are lost. Our data thus demonstrated that autophagy was induced in the AVP neurons subjected to ER stress in FNDI mice. Although autophagy should primarily be protective for neurons, it is suggested that the organelles including ER were lost over time through autophagy, leading to autophagy-associated cell death of AVP neurons.

Inhibition of protein deubiquitination by PR-619 activates the autophagic pathway in OLN-t40 oligodendroglial cells

Protein aggregate formation may be the result of an impairment of the protein quality control system, e.g., the ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) and the lysosomal autophagic pathway. For proteasomal degradation, proteins need to be covalently modified by ubiquitin and deubiquitinated before the substrates are proteolytically degraded. Deubiquitination is performed by a large family of proteases, the deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs). DUBs display a variety of functions and their inhibition may have pathological consequences. Using the broad specificity DUB inhibitor PR-619 we previously have shown that DUB inhibition leads to an overload of ubiquitinated proteins, to protein aggregate formation and subsequent inhibition of the UPS. This study was undertaken to investigate whether PR-619 modulates autophagic functions to possibly compensate the failure of the proteasomal system. Using the oligodendroglial cell line OLN-t40 and a new oligodendroglial cell line stably expressing GFP-LC3, we show that DUB inhibition leads to the activation of autophagy and to the recruitment of LC3 and of the ubiquitin binding protein p62 to the forming aggresomes without impairing the autophagic flux. Furthermore, PR-619 induced the transport of lysosomes to the forming aggregates in a process requiring an intact microtubule network. Further stimulation of autophagy by rapamycin did not prevent PR-619 aggregate formation but rather exerted cytotoxic effects. Hence, inhibition of DUBs by PR-619 activated the autophagic pathway supporting the hypothesis that the UPS and the autophagy-lysosomal pathway are closely linked together.

Inclusion body formation, macroautophagy, and the role of HDAC6 in neurodegeneration

The failure to clear misfolded or aggregated proteins from the cytoplasm of nerve cells and glia is a common pathogenic event in a variety of neurodegenerative disorders. This might be causally related to defects in the major proteolytic systems, i.e., the ubiquitin-proteasomal system and the autophagic pathway. Large protein aggregates and defective organelles are excluded from the proteasome. They can be degraded only by macroautophagy, which is a highly selective process. It requires p62 to act as a bridge connecting ubiquitinated protein aggregates and autophagosomes, and the tubulin deacetylase histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6). HDAC6 has recently been identified as a constituent in Lewy bodies of Parkinson disease and glial cytoplasmic inclusions of multiple system atrophy. It is considered a sensor of proteasomal inhibition and a cellular stress surveillance factor, and plays a central role in autophagy by controlling the fusion process of autophagosomes with lysosomes. Upon proteasomal inhibition, HDAC6 is relocated and recruited to polyubiquitin-positive aggresomes. Tubulin acetylation is a major consequence of HDAC6 inhibition, and HDAC6 inhibition restores microtubule (MT)-dependent transport mechanisms in neurons. This suggests the involvement of HDAC6 in neurodegenerative diseases. Furthermore, the protein tau seems to be a substrate for HDAC6. Tau acetylation impairs MT assembly and promotes tau fibrillization in vitro. It has been suggested that acetylation and phosphorylation of tau at multiples sites may act synergistically in the pathogenesis of tau fibrillization. In this review, we will survey the process of aggresome formation, macroautophagy and the role of autophagosomal proteins and HDAC6 in inclusion body formation.

MURF2B, a novel LC3-binding protein, participates with MURF2A in the switch between autophagy and ubiquitin proteasome system during differentiation of C2C12 muscle cells

The ubiquitin proteasome system and macroautophagy are proteolytic pathways essential in the maintenance of cellular homeostasis during differentiation and remodelling of skeletal muscle. In both pathways, proteins to be degraded are tagged with polyubiquitin. In skeletal muscles, the MURF2 proteins display E3 ubiquitin ligase structure suggesting that they may covalently attach ubiquitin polypeptides to still unknown target proteins. So far only MURF2A isoforms were studied and shown to interact with p62/SQSTM1, a protein implicated in macroautophagic and ubiquitin proteasome system degradations. Here, we analyzed the MURF2B and MURF2A proteins and show that the ratio of the isoforms changes during differentiation of muscle C2C12 cells and that the shift of the isoforms expression follows the sequential activation of autophagic or proteasomal degradation. We also show that MURF2B has a functional domain needed for its interaction with LC3, a protein needed for autophagic vesicles formation. Using specific MURF2 RNAi cells we observed that MURF2A and MURF2B are both needed for the formation of autophagosomes and that in the absence of MURF2B, the cells expressing MURF2A display an activated ubiquitin proteasome system implicated in the degradation of p62/SQSTM1 by UPS. Altogether, our results indicate that MURF2A and MURF2B proteins could participate in the molecular switch between the two ubiquitin degradative pathways.

Role of p62/SQSTM1 in liver physiology and pathogenesis

p62/sequestosome-1/A170/ZIP (hereafter referred to as p62) is a scaffold protein that has multiple functions, such as signal transduction, cell proliferation, cell survival, cell death, inflammation, tumourigenesis and oxidative stress response. While p62 is an autophagy substrate and is degraded by autophagy, p62 serves as an autophagy receptor for selective autophagic clearance of protein aggregates and organelles. Moreover, p62 functions as a signalling hub for various signalling pathways, including NF-κB, Nrf2 and mTOR. In this review, we discuss the pathophysiological role of p62 in the liver, including formation of hepatic inclusion bodies, cholestasis, obesity, insulin resistance, liver cell death and tumourigenesis.

Myc inhibition impairs autophagosome formation

Autophagy, a major clearance route for many long-lived proteins and organelles, has long been implicated in cancer development. Myc is a proto-oncogene often found to be deregulated in many cancers, and thus is an attractive target for design of cancer therapy. Therefore, understanding the relationship between anti-Myc strategies and autophagy will be important for development of effective therapy. Here, we show that Myc depletion inhibits autophagosome formation and impairs clearance of autophagy substrates. Myc suppression has an inhibitory effect on autophagy via reduction of c-Jun N-terminal kinase 1 (JNK1) and B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl2) phosphorylation. Additionally, the decrease in JNK1 phosphorylation observed with Myc knockdown is associated with a reduction in ROS production. Our data suggest that targeting Myc in cancer therapy might have the additional benefit of inhibiting autophagy in the case of therapy resistance associated with chemotherapy-induced autophagy.

New insights into the role of sequestosome 1/p62 mutant proteins in the pathogenesis of Paget's disease of bone

Paget's disease of bone (PDB) is characterized by focal areas of aberrant and excessive bone turnover, specifically increased bone resorption and disorganized bone formation. Germline mutations in the sequestosome 1/p62 (SQSTM1/p62) gene are common in PDB patients, with most mutations affecting the ubiquitin-associated domain of the protein. In vitro, osteoclast precursor cells expressing PDB-mutant SQSTM1/p62 protein are associated with increases in nuclear factor κB activation, osteoclast differentiation, and bone resorption. Although the precise mechanisms by which SQSTM1/p62 mutations contribute to disease pathogenesis and progression are not well defined, it is apparent that as well as affecting nuclear factor κB signaling, SQSTM1/p62 is a master regulator of ubiquitinated protein turnover via autophagy and the ubiquitin-proteasome system. Additional roles for SQSTM1/p62 in the oxidative stress-induced Keap1/Nrf2 pathway and in caspase-mediated apoptosis that were recently reported are potentially relevant to the pathogenesis of PDB. Thus, SQSTM1/p62 may serve as a molecular link or switch between autophagy, apoptosis, and cell survival signaling. The purpose of this review is to outline recent advances in understanding of the multiple pathophysiological roles of SQSTM1/p62 protein, with particular emphasis on their relationship to PDB, including challenges associated with translating SQSTM1/p62 research into clinical diagnosis and treatment.

Autophagy activation clears ELAVL1/HuR-mediated accumulation of SQSTM1/p62 during proteasomal inhibition in human retinal pigment epithelial cells

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common reason of visual impairment in the elderly in the Western countries. The degeneration of retinal pigment epithelial cells (RPE) causes secondarily adverse effects on neural retina leading to visual loss. The aging characteristics of the RPE involve lysosomal accumulation of lipofuscin and extracellular protein aggregates called “drusen”. Molecular mechanisms behind protein aggregations are weakly understood. There is intriguing evidence suggesting that protein SQSTM1/p62, together with autophagy, has a role in the pathology of different degenerative diseases. It appears that SQSTM1/p62 is a connecting link between autophagy and proteasome mediated proteolysis, and expressed strongly under the exposure to various oxidative stimuli and proteasomal inhibition. ELAVL1/HuR protein is a post-transcriptional factor, which acts mainly as a positive regulator of gene expression by binding to specific mRNAs whose corresponding proteins are fundamental for key cellular functions. We here show that, under proteasomal inhibitor MG-132, ELAVL1/HuR is up-regulated at both mRNA and protein levels, and that this protein binds and post-transcriptionally regulates SQSTM1/p62 mRNA in ARPE-19 cell line. Furthermore, we observed that proteasomal inhibition caused accumulation of SQSTM1/p62 bound irreversibly to perinuclear protein aggregates. The addition of the AMPK activator AICAR was pro-survival and promoted cleansing by autophagy of the former complex, but not of the ELAVL1/HuR accumulation, indeed suggesting that SQSTM1/p62 is decreased through autophagy-mediated degradation, while ELAVL1/HuR through the proteasomal pathway. Interestingly, when compared to human controls, AMD donor samples show strong SQSTM1/p62 rather than ELAVL1/HuR accumulation in the drusen rich macular area suggesting impaired autophagy in the pathology of AMD.

The casein kinase 2-nrf1 axis controls the clearance of ubiquitinated proteins by regulating proteasome gene expression

Impairment of the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of human diseases, including neurodegenerative disorders. Thus, stimulating proteasome activity is a promising strategy to ameliorate these age-related diseases. Here we show that the protein kinase casein kinase 2 (CK2) regulates the transcriptional activity of Nrf1 to control the expression of the proteasome genes and thus the clearance of ubiquitinated proteins. We identify CK2 as an Nrf1-binding protein and find that the knockdown of CK2 enhances the Nrf1-dependent expression of the proteasome subunit genes. Real-time monitoring of proteasome activity reveals that CK2 knockdown alleviates the accumulation of ubiquitinated proteins upon proteasome inhibition. Furthermore, we identify Ser 497 of Nrf1 as the CK2 phosphorylation site and demonstrate that its alanine substitution (S497A) augments the transcriptional activity of Nrf1 and mitigates proteasome dysfunction and the formation of p62-positive juxtanuclear inclusion bodies upon proteasome inhibition. These results indicate that the CK2-mediated phosphorylation of Nrf1 suppresses the proteasome gene expression and activity and thus suggest that the CK2-Nrf1 axis is a potential therapeutic target for diseases associated with UPS impairment.

Impaired proteasomal degradation enhances autophagy via hypoxia signaling in Drosophila

Background

Two pathways are responsible for the majority of regulated protein catabolism in eukaryotic cells: the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) and lysosomal self-degradation through autophagy. Both processes are necessary for cellular homeostasis by ensuring continuous turnover and quality control of most intracellular proteins. Recent studies established that both UPS and autophagy are capable of selectively eliminating ubiquitinated proteins and that autophagy may partially compensate for the lack of proteasomal degradation, but the molecular links between these pathways are poorly characterized.

Results

Here we show that autophagy is enhanced by the silencing of genes encoding various proteasome subunits (α, β or regulatory) in larval fat body cells. Proteasome inactivation induces canonical autophagy, as it depends on core autophagy genes Atg1, Vps34, Atg9, Atg4 and Atg12. Large-scale accumulation of aggregates containing p62 and ubiquitinated proteins is observed in proteasome RNAi cells. Importantly, overexpressed Atg8a reporters are captured into the cytoplasmic aggregates, but these do not represent autophagosomes. Loss of p62 does not block autophagy upregulation upon proteasome impairment, suggesting that compensatory autophagy is not simply due to the buildup of excess cargo. One of the best characterized substrates of UPS is the α subunit of hypoxia-inducible transcription factor 1 (HIF-1α), which is continuously degraded by the proteasome during normoxic conditions. Hypoxia is a known trigger of autophagy in mammalian cells, and we show that genetic activation of hypoxia signaling also induces autophagy in Drosophila. Moreover, we find that proteasome inactivation-induced autophagy requires sima, the Drosophila ortholog of HIF-1α.

Conclusions

We have characterized proteasome inactivation- and hypoxia signaling-induced autophagy in the commonly used larval Drosophila fat body model. Activation of both autophagy and hypoxia signaling was implicated in various cancers, and mutations affecting genes encoding UPS enzymes have recently been suggested to cause renal cancer. Our studies identify a novel genetic link that may play an important role in that context, as HIF-1α/sima may contribute to upregulation of autophagy by impaired proteasomal activity.

Primary proteasome inhibition results in cardiac dysfunction

AIMS

The proteasome prevents the intracellular accumulation of proteins and its impairment can lead to structural and functional alterations, as noted for the coronary vasculature in a previous study. Utilizing the same model, this study was designed to test the hypothesis that chronic proteasome inhibition (PSI) also leads to structural and functional changes of the heart.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Female domestic pigs were randomized to a normal diet without (N) or with twice-weekly subcutaneous injections of the proteasome inhibitor MLN-273 (0.08 mg/kg, N + PSI, n = 5 each group). In vivo data on cardiac structure and function as well as myocardial perfusion and microvascular permeability response to adenosine and dobutamine were obtained by electron beam computed tomography after 11 weeks. Subsequent ex vivo myocardial analyses included immunoblotting, immunostaining, TUNEL (terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labelling), Masson trichrome, and Congo red staining. Compared with N, an increase in LV mass was observed in N + PSI (106.5 ± 16.4 g vs. 183.1 ± 24.2 g, P < 0.05). The early to late diastolic filling ratio was increased in N + PSI vs. N (3.5 ± 0.6 vs. 1.8 ± 0.1, P < 0.05). The EF tended to be lower (46 ± 12% and 53 ± 9%, respectively) and cardiac output was significantly lower in N + PSI than in N (2.9 ± 1.1 vs. 4.7 ± 1.1 L/min, P < 0.05). Tissue analyses demonstrated an accumulation of proteasome substrates, apoptosis, and fibrosis in the PSI group. Compared with N, the myocardial perfusion response was reduced and microvascular permeability was increased in N + PSI.

CONCLUSION

The current study demonstrates that chronic proeasome inhibition affects the cardiovascular system, leading to functional and structural alteration of the heart consistent with a hypertrophic-restrictive cardiomyopathy phenotype.

Brain region- and age-dependent dysregulation of p62 and NBR1 in a mouse model of Huntington's disease

Huntington's disease is characterized by the formation of protein aggregates, which can be degraded by macroautophagy. Here, we studied protein levels and intracellular distribution of p62 and NBR1, two macroautophagy cargo receptors, during disease progression. In R6/1 mice, p62 and NBR1 protein levels were decreased in all brain regions analyzed early in the disease, whereas at late stages they accumulated in the striatum and hippocampus, but not in the cortex. The accumulation of p62, but not NBR1, occurred in neuronal nuclei, where it co-localized with mutant huntingtin inclusions, both in R6/1 and Huntington's disease patients. Moreover, exportin-1 was selectively decreased in old R6/1 mice brain, and could worsen p62 nuclear accumulation. In conclusion, p62 interacts with mutant huntingtin and is retained in the nucleus along the progression of the disease, mostly in striatal and hippocampal neurons. Thus, cytoplasmic NBR1 might be important to maintain basal levels of selective macroautophagy in these neurons.

LC3 fluorescent puncta in autophagosomes or in protein aggregates can be distinguished by FRAP analysis in living cells

LC3 is a marker protein that is involved in the formation of autophagosomes and autolysosomes, which are usually characterized and monitored by fluorescence microscopy using fluorescent protein-tagged LC3 probes (FP-LC3). FP-LC3 and even endogenous LC3 can also be incorporated into intracellular protein aggregates in an autophagy-independent manner. However, the dynamic process of LC3 associated with autophagosomes and autolysosomes or protein aggregates in living cells remains unclear. Here, we explored the dynamic properties of the two types of FP-LC3-containing puncta using fluorescence microscopy techniques, including fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) and fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). The FRAP data revealed that the fluorescent signals of FP-LC3 attached to phagophores or in mature autolysosomes showed either minimal or no recovery after photobleaching, indicating that the dissociation of LC3 from the autophagosome membranes may be very slow. In contrast, FP-LC3 in the protein aggregates exhibited nearly complete recovery (more than 80%) and rapid kinetics of association and dissociation (half-time < 1 sec), indicating a rapid exchange occurs between the aggregates and cytoplasmic pool, which is mainly due to the transient interaction of LC3 and SQSTM1/p62. Based on the distinct dynamic properties of FP-LC3 in the two types of punctate structures, we provide a convenient and useful FRAP approach to distinguish autophagosomes from LC3-involved protein aggregates in living cells. Using this approach, we find the FP-LC3 puncta that adjacently localized to the phagophore marker ATG16L1 were protein aggregate-associated LC3 puncta, which exhibited different kinetics compared with that of autophagic structures.

ω-6 Polyunsaturated fatty acids extend life span through the activation of autophagy

Adaptation to nutrient scarcity depends on the activation of metabolic programs to efficiently use internal reserves of energy. Activation of these programs in abundant food regimens can extend life span. However, the common molecular and metabolic changes that promote adaptation to nutritional stress and extend life span are mostly unknown. Here we present a response to fasting, enrichment of ω-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), which promotes starvation resistance and extends Caenorhabditis elegans life span. Upon fasting, C. elegans induces the expression of a lipase, which in turn leads to an enrichment of ω-6 PUFAs. Supplementing C. elegans culture media with these ω-6 PUFAs increases their resistance to starvation and extends their life span in conditions of food abundance. Supplementation of C. elegans or human epithelial cells with these ω-6 PUFAs activates autophagy, a cell recycling mechanism that promotes starvation survival and slows aging. Inactivation of C. elegans autophagy components reverses the increase in life span conferred by supplementing the C. elegans diet with these fasting-enriched ω-6 PUFAs. We propose that the salubrious effects of dietary supplementation with ω-3/6 PUFAs (fish oils) that have emerged from epidemiological studies in humans may be due to a similar activation of autophagic programs.

p62 Stages an interplay between the ubiquitin-proteasome system and autophagy in the heart of defense against proteotoxic stress

As exemplified by desmin-related cardiomyopathy and myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury, proteasome functional insufficiency plays an essential pathogenic role in the progression of cardiac diseases with elevated proteotoxic stress. Upregulation of p62/SQSTM1 and increased selective autophagy in cardiomyocytes may protect against proteotoxic stress in the heart. p62 may serve as a proteotoxic stress sensor, promote segregation and degradation of misfolded proteins by autophagy, and mediate the cross talk between the ubiquitin-proteasome system and autophagy.

Ubiquitin receptors and protein quality control

Protein quality control (PQC) is essential to intracellular proteostasis and is carried out by sophisticated collaboration between molecular chaperones and targeted protein degradation. The latter is performed by proteasome-mediated degradation, chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA), and selective macroautophagy, and collectively serves as the final line of defense of PQC. Ubiquitination and subsequently ubiquitin (Ub) receptor proteins (e.g., p62 and ubiquilins) are important common factors for targeting misfolded proteins to multiple quality control destinies, including the proteasome, lysosomes, and perhaps aggresomes, as well as for triggering mitophagy to remove defective mitochondria. PQC inadequacy, particularly proteasome functional insufficiency, has been shown to participate in cardiac pathogenesis. Tremendous advances have been made in unveiling the changes of PQC in cardiac diseases. However, the investigation into the molecular pathways regulating PQC in cardiac (patho)physiology, including the function of most ubiquitin receptor proteins in the heart, has only recently been initiated. A better understanding of molecular mechanisms governing PQC in cardiac physiology and pathology will undoubtedly provide new insights into cardiac pathogenesis and promote the search for novel therapeutic strategies to more effectively battle heart disease.This article is part of a Special Issue entitled "Focus on Cardiac Metabolism".

Walnut diet reduces accumulation of polyubiquitinated proteins and inflammation in the brain of aged rats

An increase in the aggregation of misfolded/damaged polyubiquitinated proteins has been the hallmark of many age-related neurodegenerative diseases. The accumulation of these potentially toxic proteins in brain increases with age, in part due to increased oxidative and inflammatory stresses. Walnuts, rich in omega fatty acids, have been shown to improve memory, cognition and neuronal effects related to oxidative stress (OS) and inflammation (INF) in animals and human trials. The current study found that feeding 19-month-old rats with a 6% or 9% walnut diet significantly reduced the aggregation of polyubiquitinated proteins and activated autophagy, a neuronal housekeeping function, in the striatum and hippocampus. Walnut-fed animals exhibited up-regulation of autophagy through inhibiting phosphorylation of mTOR, up-regulating ATG7 and Beclin 1, and turnover of MAP1BLC3 proteins. The clearance of polyubiquitinated protein aggregates such as p62/SQSTM1 was more profound in hippocampus, a critical region in the brain involved in memory and cognitive performance, than striatum. The clearance of ubiquitinated aggregates was in tandem with significant reductions in OS/INF, as indicated by the levels of P38-MAP kinase and phosphorylations of nuclear factor kappa B and cyclic AMP response element binding protein. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of a walnut-supplemented diet in activating the autophagy function in brain beyond its traditionally known antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits.