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Macroautophagy and the ubiquitin proteasome system work as an interconnected network in the maintenance of cellular homeostasis. Indeed, efficient activation of macroautophagy upon nutritional deprivation is sustained by degradation of preexisting proteins by the proteasome. However, the specific substrates that are degraded by the proteasome in order to activate macroautophagy are currently unknown. By quantitative proteomic analysis we identified several proteins downregulated in response to starvation independently of ATG5 expression. Among them, the most significant was HERPUD1, an ER membrane protein with low expression and known to be degraded by the proteasome under normal conditions. Contrary, under ER stress, levels of HERPUD1 increased rapidly due to a blockage in its proteasomal degradation. Thus, we explored whether HERPUD1 stability could work as a negative regulator of autophagy. In this work, we expressed a version of HERPUD1 with its ubiquitin-like domain (UBL) deleted, which is known to be crucial for its proteasome degradation. In comparison to HERPUD1-WT, we found the UBL-deleted version caused a negative role on basal and induced macroautophagy. Unexpectedly, we found stabilized HERPUD1 promotes ER remodeling independent of unfolded protein response activation observing an increase in stacked-tubular structures resembling previously described tubular ER rearrangements. Importantly, a phosphomimetic S59D mutation within the UBL mimics the phenotype observed with the UBL-deleted version including an increase in HERPUD1 stability and ER remodeling together with a negative role on autophagy. Moreover, we found UBL-deleted version and HERPUD1-S59D trigger an increase in cellular size, whereas HERPUD1-S59D also causes an increased in nuclear size. Interestingly, ER remodeling by the deletion of the UBL and the phosphomimetic S59D version led to an increase in the number and function of lysosomes. In addition, the UBL-deleted version and phosphomimetic S59D version established a tight ER-lysosomal network with the presence of extended patches of ER-lysosomal membrane-contact sites condition that reveals an increase of cell survival under stress conditions. Altogether, we propose stabilized HERPUD1 downregulates macroautophagy favoring instead a closed interplay between the ER and lysosomes with consequences in drug-cell stress survival.

Protein trafficking is altered when normal cells acquire a tumor phenotype. A key subcellular compartment in regulating protein trafficking is the Golgi apparatus, but its role in carcinogenesis is still not well defined. Golgi phosphoprotein 3 (GOLPH3), a peripheral membrane protein mostly localized at the trans-Golgi network, is overexpressed in several tumor types including glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), the most lethal primary brain tumor. Moreover, GOLPH3 is currently considered an oncoprotein, however its precise function in GBM is not fully understood. Here, we analyzed in T98G cells of GBM, which express high levels of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), the effect of stable RNAi-mediated knockdown of GOLPH3. We found that silencing GOLPH3 caused a significant reduction in the proliferation of T98G cells and an unexpected increase in total EGFR levels, even at the cell surface, which was however less prone to ligand-induced autophosphorylation. Furthermore, silencing GOLPH3 decreased EGFR sialylation and fucosylation, which correlated with delayed ligand-induced EGFR downregulation and its accumulation at endo-lysosomal compartments. Finally, we found that EGF failed at promoting EGFR ubiquitylation when the levels of GOLPH3 were reduced. Altogether, our results show that GOLPH3 in T98G cells regulates the endocytic trafficking and activation of EGFR likely by affecting its extent of glycosylation and ubiquitylation.

Brain regions affected by Alzheimer disease (AD) display well-recognized early neuropathologic features in the endolysosomal and autophagy systems of neurons, including enlargement of endosomal compartments, progressive accumulation of autophagic vacuoles, and lysosomal dysfunction. Although the primary causes of these disturbances are still under investigation, a growing body of evidence suggests that the amyloid precursor protein (APP) intracellular C-terminal fragment β (C99), generated by cleavage of APP by β-site APP cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE-1), is the primary cause of the endosome enlargement in AD and the earliest initiator of synaptic plasticity and long-term memory impairment. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the possible relationship between the endolysosomal degradation pathway and autophagy on the proteolytic processing and turnover of C99. We found that pharmacologic treatments that either inhibit autophagosome formation or block the fusion of autophagosomes to endolysosomal compartments caused an increase in C99 levels. We also found that inhibition of autophagosome formation by depletion of Atg5 led to higher levels of C99 and to its massive accumulation in the lumen of enlarged perinuclear, lysosomal-associated membrane protein 1 (LAMP1)-positive organelles. In contrast, activation of autophagosome formation, either by starvation or by inhibition of the mammalian target of rapamycin, enhanced lysosomal clearance of C99. Altogether, our results indicate that autophagosomes are key organelles to help avoid C99 accumulation preventing its deleterious effects.-Gonzalez, A. E., Munoz, V. C., Cavieres, V. A., Bustamante, H. A., Cornejo, V.-H., Januario, Y. C., Gonzalez, I., Hetz, C., daSilva, L. L., Rojas-Fernandez, A., Hay, R. T., Mardones, G. A., Burgos, P. V. Autophagosomes cooperate in the degradation of intracellular C-terminal fragments of the amyloid precursor protein via the MVB/lysosomal pathway.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common cause of age-related dementia leading to severe irreversible cognitive decline and massive neurodegeneration. While therapeutic approaches for managing symptoms are available, AD currently has no cure. AD associates with a progressive decline of the two major catabolic pathways of eukaryotic cells—the autophagy-lysosomal pathway (ALP) and the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS)—that contributes to the accumulation of harmful molecules implicated in synaptic plasticity and long-term memory impairment. One protein recently highlighted as the earliest initiator of these disturbances is the amyloid precursor protein (APP) intracellular C-terminal membrane fragment β (CTFβ), a key toxic agent with deleterious effects on neuronal function that has become an important pathogenic factor for AD and a potential biomarker for AD patients. This review focuses on the involvement of regulatory molecules and specific post-translational modifications (PTMs) that operate in the UPS and ALP to control a single proteostasis network to achieve protein balance. We discuss how these aspects can contribute to the development of novel strategies to strengthen the balance of key pathogenic proteins associated with AD.

Brain regions affected by Alzheimer disease (AD) display well-recognized early neuropathologic features in the endolysosomal and autophagy systems of neurons, including enlargement of endosomal compartments, progressive accumulation of autophagic vacuoles, and lysosomal dysfunction. Although the primary causes of these disturbances are still under investigation, a growing body of evidence suggests that the amyloid precursor protein (APP) intracellular C-terminal fragment β (C99), generated by cleavage of APP by β-site APP cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE-1), is the primary cause of the endosome enlargement in AD and the earliest initiator of synaptic plasticity and long-term memory impairment. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the possible relationship between the endolysosomal degradation pathway and autophagy on the proteolytic processing and turnover of C99. We found that pharmacologic treatments that either inhibit autophagosome formation or block the fusion of autophagosomes to endolysosomal compartments caused an increase in C99 levels. We also found that inhibition of autophagosome formation by depletion of Atg5 led to higher levels of C99 and to its massive accumulation in the lumen of enlarged perinuclear, lysosomal-associated membrane protein 1 (LAMP1)-positive organelles. In contrast, activation of autophagosome formation, either by starvation or by inhibition of the mammalian target of rapamycin, enhanced lysosomal clearance of C99. Altogether, our results indicate that autophagosomes are key organelles to help avoid C99 accumulation preventing its deleterious effects.-González, A. E., Muñoz, V. C., Cavieres, V. A., Bustamante, H. A., Cornejo, V.-H., Januário, Y. C., González, I., Hetz, C., daSilva, L. L., Rojas-Fernández, A., Hay, R. T., Mardones, G. A., Burgos, P. V. Autophagosomes cooperate in the degradation of intracellular C-terminal fragments of the amyloid precursor protein

The V2 receptor gene encodes two receptor variants by alternative splicing, the canonical V2 receptor (V2a receptor) and V2b. The V2b variant has an amino acid sequence identical to that of the V2a receptor up to the sixth transmembrane domain, but the V2b sequences corresponding to the putative seventh transmembrane domain and the carboxyl terminus are different from those of the V2a receptor. Here we investigate the topology and subcellular distribution of the V2b variant. We found that, in contrast to the V2a receptor, the V2b adopted two topologies: one with six transmembrane segments with the C-terminus on the extracellular side of the membrane and another with seven transmembrane segments with the C-terminus on the intracellular side, similar to typical G-protein-coupled receptors. Furthermore, we observed that both topological isoforms oligomerized with the V2a canonical receptor. Unlike the V2a receptor, V2b did not move to the plasma membrane, but it is retained in the ER--Golgi compartments. These findings indicate that the C-terminal sequence beyond the sixth transmembrane of the V2a is required for the stabilization of the seven-transmembrane topology of the receptor and is also essential for the trafficking of the receptor to the plasma membrane.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide. We have previously shown that the compound tetrahydrohyperforin (IDN5706) prevents accumulation of Aβ species in an in vivo model of AD, however the mechanism that explains this reduction is not well understood. We show herein that IDN5706 decreases the levels of ER degradation enhancer, mannosidase alpha-like 1 (EDEM1), a key chaperone related to endoplasmic-reticulum-associated degradation (ERAD). Moreover, we observed that low levels of EDEM1 correlated with a strong activation of autophagy, suggesting a crosstalk between these two pathways. We observed that IDN5706 perturbs the glycosylation and proteolytic processing of the amyloid precursor protein (APP), resulting in the accumulation of immature APP (iAPP) in the endoplasmic reticulum. To investigate the contribution of autophagy, we tested the effect of IDN5706 in Atg5-depleted cells. We found that depletion of Atg5 enhanced the accumulation of iAPP in response to IDN5706 by slowing down its degradation. Our findings reveal that IDN5706 promotes degradation of iAPP via the activation of Atg5-dependent autophagy, shedding light on the mechanism that may contribute to the reduction of Aβ production in vivo.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by the buildup of amyloid-β peptides (Aβ) aggregates derived from proteolytic processing of the β-amyloid precursor protein (APP). Amyloidogenic cleavage of APP by β-secretase/BACE1 generates the C-terminal fragment C99/CTFβ that can be subsequently cleaved by γ-secretase to produce Aβ. Growing evidence indicates that high levels of C99/CTFβ are determinant for AD. Although it has been postulated that γ-secretase-independent pathways must control C99/CTFβ levels, the contribution of organelles with degradative functions, such as the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) or lysosomes, is unclear. In this report, we investigated the turnover and amyloidogenic processing of C99/CTFβ in human H4 neuroglioma cells, and found that C99/CTFβ is localized at the Golgi apparatus in contrast to APP, which is mostly found in endosomes. Conditions that localized C99/CTFβ to the ER resulted in its degradation in a proteasome-dependent manner that first required polyubiquitination, consistent with an active role of the ER associated degradation (ERAD) in this process. Furthermore, when proteasomal activity was inhibited C99/CTFβ was degraded in a chloroquine (CQ)-sensitive compartment, implicating lysosomes as alternative sites for its degradation. Our results highlight a crosstalk between degradation pathways within the ER and lysosomes to avoid protein accumulation and toxicity.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia worldwide among the older population. To date, there is no therapy to stop the destruction of brain cells and all the available treatments only compensate for the loss of synaptic transmission, thus resulting in marginal benefits to patients.