Project description:Here, we revealed that optogenetic activation of AgRP neurons alters liver transcriptome associated with autophagy, glucose metabolism, lipid metabolism and ß-oxidation.
Project description:Autophagy represents a key regulator of aging and metabolism upon cell autonomous sensing of energy deprivation. We find that fasting in mice activates autophagy in liver paralleled by activation of hypothalamic AgRP neurons. Optogenetic and chemogenetic activation of AgRP neurons induces autophagy, alters phosphorylation of autophagy regulators and promotes ß-oxidation in the liver. AgRP neuron dependent induction of liver autophagy relies on NPY expression in these neurons. AgRP neuron projections in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVH) and the lateral hypothalamus (LHA) mediate AgRP neuron-dependent control of liver autophagy. Conversely, inhibiting AgRP neurons during energy deprivation abrogates induction of hepatic autophagy and re-wiring of metabolism. Finally, AgRP neuron activation increases circulating corticosterone concentrations, and reduction of hepatic glucocorticoid receptor expression attenuates AgRP neuron-dependent activation of hepatic autophagy. Collectively, our study reveals a fundamental regulatory principle of non-cell autonomous control of liver autophagy in control of metabolic adaptation during nutrient deprivation.
Project description:Translation initiation factors have complex functions in cells which are not yet understood. We show that depletion of initiation factor eIF4GI only modestly reduces overall protein synthesis in cells, but phenocopies nutrient-starvation or inhibition of protein kinase mTOR, a key nutrient sensor. eIF4GI depletion impairs cell proliferation, bioenergetics and mitochondrial activity, thereby promoting autophagy. Translation of mRNAs involved in cell growth, proliferation and bioenergetics were selectively inhibited by reduction of eIF4GI, whereas mRNAs encoding proliferation inhibitors and catabolic pathway factors were increased. Depletion or over-expression of other eIF4G family members did not recapitulate these results. The majority of mRNAs that were translationally impaired with eIF4GI depletion were excluded from polyribosomes due to the presence of multiple upstream open reading frames and low mRNA abundance. These results suggest that the high levels of eIF4GI observed in many breast cancers might act to specifically increase proliferation, prevent autophagy and release tumor cells from control by nutrient sensing. Global regulation of transcription and polysomal association in eIF4GI-silenced cells. Keywords: Gene Silencing
Project description:Macroautophagy (hereafter autophagy) is the major pathway by which macromolecules and organelles are degraded. Autophagy is regulated by the mTOR signaling pathway, which is the focal point for integration of metabolic information, with mTORC1 playing a central role in balancing biosynthesis and catabolism. Of the various inputs to mTORC1, the amino acid sensing pathway is among the most potent. Based upon transcriptome analysis of neurons subjected to nutrient deprivation, we identified let-7 as a microRNA capable of promoting neuronal autophagy. We found that let-7 activates autophagy by coordinately down-regulating the amino acid sensing pathway to prevent mTORC1 activation. Let-7 induced autophagy in the brain and greatly reduced protein aggregates in a lentivirus model of polyglutamine disease, establishing the physiological relevance of let-7 for in vivo autophagy modulation. Moreover, peripheral delivery of let-7 anti-miR repressed autophagy in muscle and white fat, suggesting that let-7 autophagy regulation extends beyond the CNS. Hence, let-7 plays a central role in nutrient homeostasis and proteostasis regulation in higher organisms. Using sets of wild-type C57BL/6J mice, we established primary cortical neuron cultures from P0 littermates, and cultured these neurons (n = 3 / set) in CM or NLM for 4 hrs.
Project description:Translation initiation factors have complex functions in cells which are not yet understood. We show that depletion of initiation factor eIF4GI only modestly reduces overall protein synthesis in cells, but phenocopies nutrient-starvation or inhibition of protein kinase mTOR, a key nutrient sensor. eIF4GI depletion impairs cell proliferation, bioenergetics and mitochondrial activity, thereby promoting autophagy. Translation of mRNAs involved in cell growth, proliferation and bioenergetics were selectively inhibited by reduction of eIF4GI, whereas mRNAs encoding proliferation inhibitors and catabolic pathway factors were increased. Depletion or over-expression of other eIF4G family members did not recapitulate these results. The majority of mRNAs that were translationally impaired with eIF4GI depletion were excluded from polyribosomes due to the presence of multiple upstream open reading frames and low mRNA abundance. These results suggest that the high levels of eIF4GI observed in many breast cancers might act to specifically increase proliferation, prevent autophagy and release tumor cells from control by nutrient sensing. Global regulation of transcription and polysomal association in eIF4GI-silenced cells. Experiment Overall Design: Two sets of experiments are presented. First, overall transcriptome changes were determined for control or eIF4GI silenced cells. Next, mRNAs associated with polysomes were compared between control and eIF4GI silenced cells.
Project description:Macroautophagy (hereafter autophagy) is the major pathway by which macromolecules and organelles are degraded. Autophagy is regulated by the mTOR signaling pathway, which is the focal point for integration of metabolic information, with mTORC1 playing a central role in balancing biosynthesis and catabolism. Of the various inputs to mTORC1, the amino acid sensing pathway is among the most potent. Based upon transcriptome analysis of neurons subjected to nutrient deprivation, we identified let-7 as a microRNA capable of promoting neuronal autophagy. We found that let-7 activates autophagy by coordinately down-regulating the amino acid sensing pathway to prevent mTORC1 activation. Let-7 induced autophagy in the brain and greatly reduced protein aggregates in a lentivirus model of polyglutamine disease, establishing the physiological relevance of let-7 for in vivo autophagy modulation. Moreover, peripheral delivery of let-7 anti-miR repressed autophagy in muscle and white fat, suggesting that let-7 autophagy regulation extends beyond the CNS. Hence, let-7 plays a central role in nutrient homeostasis and proteostasis regulation in higher organisms.
Project description:During tumor growth-when nutrient and anabolic demands are high-autophagy supports tumor metabolism and growth through lysosomal organelle turnover and nutrient recycling. Ras-driven tumors additionally invoke non-autonomous autophagy in the microenvironment to support tumor growth, in part through transfer of amino acids. Here we uncover a third critical role of autophagy in mediating systemic organ wasting and nutrient mobilization for tumor growth using a well-characterized malignant tumor model in Drosophila melanogaster. Micro-computed X-ray tomography and metabolic profiling reveal that Ras<sup>V12</sup> ; scrib<sup>-/-</sup> tumors grow 10-fold in volume, while systemic organ wasting unfolds with progressive muscle atrophy, loss of body mass, -motility, -feeding, and eventually death. Tissue wasting is found to be mediated by autophagy and results in host mobilization of amino acids and sugars into circulation. Natural abundance Carbon 13 tracing demonstrates that tumor biomass is increasingly derived from host tissues as a nutrient source as wasting progresses. We conclude that host autophagy mediates organ wasting and nutrient mobilization that is utilized for tumor growth.
Project description:Macroautophagy (hereafter autophagy) is the major pathway by which macromolecules and organelles are degraded. Autophagy is regulated by the mTOR signaling pathway, which is the focal point for integration of metabolic information, with mTORC1 playing a central role in balancing biosynthesis and catabolism. Of the various inputs to mTORC1, the amino acid sensing pathway is among the most potent. Based upon transcriptome analysis of neurons subjected to nutrient deprivation, we identified let-7 as a microRNA capable of promoting neuronal autophagy. We found that let-7 activates autophagy by coordinately down-regulating the amino acid sensing pathway to prevent mTORC1 activation. Let-7 induced autophagy in the brain and greatly reduced protein aggregates in a lentivirus model of polyglutamine disease, establishing the physiological relevance of let-7 for in vivo autophagy modulation. Moreover, peripheral delivery of let-7 anti-miR repressed autophagy in muscle and white fat, suggesting that let-7 autophagy regulation extends beyond the CNS. Hence, let-7 plays a central role in nutrient homeostasis and proteostasis regulation in higher organisms.
Project description:mTORC2 senses nutrients and coordinates substrate metabolism and macromolecule synthesis program with the availability of external nutrient availability. Knockdown of mTORC2 components and its chaperone partners impairs both nutrient sensing and downstrem metabolism/growth programs.