Regulation of Clathrin-Mediated Endocytosis

Clathrin: the molecular shape shifter

Clathrin is best known for its contribution to clathrin-mediated endocytosis yet it also participates to a diverse range of cellular functions. Key to this is clathrin's ability to assemble into polyhedral lattices that include curved football or basket shapes, flat lattices or even tubular structures. In this review, we discuss clathrin structure and coated vesicle formation, how clathrin is utilised within different cellular processes including synaptic vesicle recycling, hormone desensitisation, spermiogenesis, cell migration and mitosis, and how clathrin's remarkable 'shapeshifting' ability to form diverse lattice structures might contribute to its multiple cellular functions.

Glycans in autophagy, endocytosis and lysosomal functions

Glycans have been shown to function as versatile molecular signals in cells. This prompted us to look at their roles in endocytosis, endolysosomal system and autophagy. We start by introducing the cell biological aspects of these pathways, the concept of the sugar code, and provide an overview on the role of glycans in the targeting of lysosomal proteins and in lysosomal functions. Moreover, we review evidence on the regulation of endocytosis and autophagy by glycans. Finally, we discuss the emerging concept that cytosolic exposure of luminal glycans, and their detection by endogenous lectins, provides a mechanism for the surveillance of the integrity of the endolysosomal compartments, and serves their eventual repair or disposal.

Migration cues interpretation by clathrin-coated structures

Cell migration is oriented by cues from the environment. Such cues are read and interpreted by the cell and translated into a reorganization of the migration machinery to steer migration. Receptors at the cell surface are central to detect these cues. These receptors can be internalized and this plays an important role in the decision-making process leading to choosing a migration direction. Independently of endocytosis, recent findings suggest that regulation of these receptors and translation of the information they carry into a phenotype is facilitated by their clustering at discrete locations of the plasma membrane. Clathrin-coated structures are archetypal clustering assemblies and thus provide the cell with a finely tunable mechanism for controlling receptor availability. In addition, clathrin-coated structures can be regulated by many factors playing a role in cell migration and thus take part in feedback loop mechanisms that are instrumental in defining a migration direction.

Dynamin deficiency causes insulin secretion failure and hyperglycemia

Pancreatic β cells operate with a high rate of membrane recycling for insulin secretion, yet endocytosis in these cells is not fully understood. We investigate this process in mature mouse β cells by genetically deleting dynamin GTPase, the membrane fission machinery essential for clathrin-mediated endocytosis. Unexpectedly, the mice lacking all three dynamin genes (DNM1, DNM2, DNM3) in their β cells are viable, and their β cells still contain numerous insulin granules. Endocytosis in these β cells is severely impaired, resulting in abnormal endocytic intermediates on the plasma membrane. Although insulin granules are abundant, their release upon glucose stimulation is blunted in both the first and second phases, leading to hyperglycemia and glucose intolerance in mice. Dynamin triple deletion impairs insulin granule exocytosis and decreases intracellular Ca2+ responses and granule docking. The docking defect is correlated with reduced expression of Munc13-1 and RIM1 and reorganization of cortical F-actin in β cells. Collectively, these findings uncover the role of dynamin in dense-core vesicle endocytosis and secretory capacity. Insulin secretion deficiency in the absence of dynamin-mediated endocytosis highlights the risk of impaired membrane trafficking in endocrine failure and diabetes pathogenesis.

Cholera Toxin as a Probe for Membrane Biology

Cholera toxin B-subunit (CTxB) has emerged as one of the most widely utilized tools in membrane biology and biophysics. CTxB is a homopentameric stable protein that binds tightly to up to five GM1 glycosphingolipids. This provides a robust and tractable model for exploring membrane structure and its dynamics including vesicular trafficking and nanodomain assembly. Here, we review important advances in these fields enabled by use of CTxB and its lipid receptor GM1.

Actin-related protein 2/3 complex plays a critical role in the aquaporin-2 exocytotic pathway

The trafficking of proteins such as aquaporin-2 (AQP2) in the exocytotic pathway requires an active actin cytoskeleton network, but the mechanism is incompletely understood. Here, we show that the actin-related protein (Arp)2/3 complex, a key factor in actin filament branching and polymerization, is involved in the shuttling of AQP2 between the trans-Golgi network (TGN) and the plasma membrane. Arp2/3 inhibition (using CK-666) or siRNA knockdown blocks vasopressin-induced AQP2 membrane accumulation and induces the formation of distinct AQP2 perinuclear patches positive for markers of TGN-derived clathrin-coated vesicles. After a 20°C cold block, AQP2 formed perinuclear patches due to continuous endocytosis coupled with inhibition of exit from TGN-associated vesicles. Upon rewarming, AQP2 normally leaves the TGN and redistributes into the cytoplasm, entering the exocytotic pathway. Inhibition of Arp2/3 blocked this process and trapped AQP2 in clathrin-positive vesicles. Taken together, these results suggest that Arp2/3 is essential for AQP2 trafficking, specifically for its delivery into the post-TGN exocytotic pathway to the plasma membrane.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Aquaporin-2 (AQP2) undergoes constitutive recycling between the cytoplasm and plasma membrane, with an intricate balance between endocytosis and exocytosis. By inhibiting the actin-related protein (Arp)2/3 complex, we prevented AQP2 from entering the exocytotic pathway at the post-trans-Golgi network level and blocked AQP2 membrane accumulation. Arp2/3 inhibition, therefore, enables us to separate and target the exocytotic process, while not affecting endocytosis, thus allowing us to envisage strategies to modulate AQP2 trafficking and treat water balance disorders.

Time-Dependent Internalization of S100B by Mesenchymal Stem Cells via the Pathways of Clathrin- and Lipid Raft-Mediated Endocytosis

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are promising tools for cancer therapy, but there is a risk of malignant transformation in their clinical application. Our previous work revealed that the paracrine protein S100B in the glioma microenvironment induces malignant transformation of MSCs and upregulates intracellular S100B, which could affect cell homeostasis by interfering with p53. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether extracellular S100B can be internalized by MSCs and the specific endocytic pathway involved in S100B internalization. By using real-time confocal microscopy and structured illumination microscopy (SIM), we visualized the uptake of fluorescently labeled S100B protein (S100B-Alexa488) and monitored the intracellular trafficking of internalized vesicles. The results showed that S100B-Alexa488 was efficiently internalized into MSCs in a time-dependent manner and transported through endolysosomal pathways. After that, we used chemical inhibitors and RNA interference approaches to investigate possible mechanisms involved in S100B-Alexa488 uptake. The internalization of S100B-Alexa488 was inhibited by pitstop-2 or dyngo-4a treatment or RNA-mediated silencing of clathrin or dynamin, and the lipid raft-mediated endocytosis inhibitors nystatin and MβCD. In conclusion, our findings show that clathrin and lipid rafts contribute to the internalization of S100B-Alexa488, which provides promising interventions for the safe application of MSCs in glioma therapy.

Dynamin-dependent vesicle twist at the final stage of clathrin-mediated endocytosis

Dynamin plays an important role in clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME) by cutting the neck of nascent vesicles from the cell membrane. Here through using gold nanorods as cargos to image dynamin action during live CME, we show that near the peak of dynamin accumulation, the cargo-containing vesicles always exhibit abrupt, right-handed rotations that finish in a short time (~0.28 s). The large and quick twist, herein named the super twist, is the result of the coordinated dynamin helix action upon GTP hydrolysis. After the super twist, the rotational freedom of the vesicle drastically increases, accompanied with simultaneous or delayed translational movement, indicating that it detaches from the cell membrane. These observations suggest that dynamin-mediated scission involves a large torque generated by coordinated actions of multiple dynamins in the helix, which is the main driving force for vesicle scission.

Dynamin-2 mediates clathrin-dependent endocytosis for amyloid-β internalization in brain microvascular endothelial cells

Dynamin is recognized as a crucial regulator for membrane fission and has three isoforms in mammals. But the expression patterns of dynamin isoforms and their roles in non-neuronal cells are incompletely understood. In this study, the expression profiles of dynamin isoforms and their roles in endocytosis was investigated in brain endothelial cells. We found that Dyn2 was expressed at highest levels, whereas the expression of Dyn1 and Dyn3 were far less than Dyn2. Live-cell imaging was used to investigate the effects of siRNA-mediated knockdown of individual dynamin isoforms on transferrin uptake, and we found that Dyn2, but not Dyn1 or Dyn3, is required for the endocytosis in brain endothelial cells. Results of dextran uptake assay showed that dynamin isoforms are not involved in the clathrin-independent fluid-phase internalization of brain endothelial cells, suggesting the specificity of the role of Dyn2 in clathrin-dependent endocytosis. Immunofluorescence and electron microscopy analysis showed that Dyn2 co-localizes with clathrin and acts at the late stage of vesicle fission in the process of endocytosis. Further results showed that Dyn2 is necessary for the basolateral-to-apical internalization of amyloid-β into brain endothelial cells. We concluded that Dyn2, but not Dyn1 or Dyn3, mediates the clathrin-dependent endocytosis for amyloid-β internalization particularly from basolateral to apical side into brain endothelial cells.

CALM supports clathrin-coated vesicle completion upon membrane tension increase

The most represented components of clathrin-coated vesicles (CCVs) are clathrin triskelia and the adaptors clathrin assembly lymphoid myeloid leukemia protein (CALM) and the heterotetrameric complex AP2. Investigation of the dynamics of AP180-amino-terminal-homology (ANTH) recruitment during CCV formation has been hampered by CALM toxicity upon overexpression. We used knock-in gene editing to express a C-terminal-attached fluorescent version of CALM, while preserving its endogenous expression levels, and cutting-edge live-cell microscopy approaches to study CALM recruitment at forming CCVs. Our results demonstrate that CALM promotes vesicle completion upon membrane tension increase as a function of the amount of this adaptor present. Since the expression of adaptors, including CALM, differs among cells, our data support a model in which the efficiency of clathrin-mediated endocytosis is tissue specific and explain why CALM is essential during embryogenesis and red blood cell development.

Synergistic ultrasonic biophysical effect-responsive nanoparticles for enhanced gene delivery to ovarian cancer stem cells

Ovarian cancer stem cells (OCSCs) that are a subpopulation within bulk tumor survive chemotherapy and conduce to chemo-resistance and tumor relapse. However, conventional gene delivery is unsuitable for the on-demand content release, which limits OCSCs therapeutic utility. Here, we reported ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction (UTMD)-triggerable poly(ethylene glycol)-disulfide bond-polyethylenimine loaded microbubble (PSP@MB). Taking advantage of glutathione (GSH) responsiveness, ultrasound triggering and spatiotemporally controlled release manner, PSP@MB is expected to realize local gene delivery for OCSCs treatment. But the biophysical mechanisms of gene delivery via PSP@MB and ultrasound remain unknown. The aim of this study is to determine the potential of gene delivery to OCSCs via ultrasonic synergistic biophysical effects and GSH-sensitive PSP@MB. The GSH-sensitive disulfide bond cleavable properties of PSP@MB were confirmed by ¹H NMR spectra and infrared spectroscopy. The biophysical mechanisms between PSP@MB and cells were confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM) to optimize the ultrasonic gene delivery system. The gene transfection via ultrasound and PSP@MB was closely related to the biophysical mechanisms (sonoporation, enhanced-endocytosis, sonoprinting, and endosomal escape). Ultrasound combined with PSP@MB successfully delivered aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 (ALDH1) short hairpin RNA (shRNA) plasmid to OCSCs and promoted apoptosis of OCSCs. The gene transfection rate and apoptosis rate were (18.41 ± 2.41)% and (32.62 ± 2.36)% analyzed by flow cytometry separately. This study showed that ultrasound triggering and GSH responsive PSP@MB might provide a novel strategy for OCSCs treatment via sonoporation and enhanced-endocytosis.

Endocytic adaptation to functional demand by the kidney proximal tubule

The kidney proximal tubule (PT) efficiently recovers the low level of albumin and other proteins that normally escape the glomerular filtration barrier. Two large receptors, megalin and cubilin/amnionless (CUBAM), bind to and efficiently retrieve these predominantly low molecular-weight proteins via clathrin-mediated endocytosis. Studies in cell culture models suggest that PT cells may sense changes in shear stress to modulate recovery of filtered proteins in response to normal variations in filtration rate. Impairments in PT endocytic function lead to the excretion of filtered proteins into the urine (tubular proteinuria). Remarkably, when the glomerular filtration barrier is breached, the PT is able to recover excess albumin with a capacity that is orders of magnitude higher than normal. What mediates this excess capacity for albumin uptake under nephrotic conditions, and why doesn't it compensate to prevent tubular proteinuria? Here we propose an integrated new working model to describe the PT recovery of filtered proteins under normal and nephrotic states. We hypothesize that uptake via the fluid phase provides excess capacity to recover high concentrations of filtered proteins under nephrotic conditions. Further, concentration of tubular fluid along the tubule axis will enhance the efficiency of uptake in more distal regions of the PT. By contrast to cells where fluid phase and receptor-mediated uptake are independent pathways, expression of megalin is required to maintain apical endocytic pathway integrity and is essential for both uptake mechanisms. This model accounts for both the high-affinity and the high-capacity responses to filtration load in physiological and pathological states.

Centrosomal P4.1-associated protein (CPAP) positively regulates endocytic vesicular transport and lysosome targeting of EGFR

Centrosomal P4.1-associated protein (CPAP) plays a critical role in restricting the centriole length in human cells. Here, we report a novel, positive regulatory influence for CPAP on endocytic vesicular transport (EVT) and lysosome targeting of internalized-cell surface receptor EGFR. We observed that higher CPAP levels cause an increase in the abundance of multi-vesicular body (MVB) and EGFR is detectable in CPAP-overexpression induced puncta. The surface and cellular levels of EGFR are higher under CPAP deficiency and lower under CPAP overexpression. While ligand-engagement induced internalization or routing of EGFR into early endosomes is not influenced by cellular levels of CPAP, we found that targeting of ligand-activated, internalized EGFR to lysosome is impacted by CPAP levels. Transport of ligand-bound EGFR from early endosome to late endosome/MVB and lysosome is diminished in CPAP-depleted cells. Moreover, CPAP depleted cells appear to show a diminished ability to form MVB structures upon EGFR activation. These observations suggest a positive regulatory effect of CPAP on EVT of ligand-bound EGFR-like cell surface receptors to MVB and lysosome. Overall, identification of a non-centriolar function of CPAP in endocytic trafficking provides new insights in understanding the non-canonical cellular functions of CPAP.

Isolation of Mutants With Reduced Susceptibility to Piperaquine From a Mutator of the Rodent Malaria Parasite Plasmodium berghei

Elucidation of the mechanisms of drug resistance in malaria parasites is crucial for combatting the emergence and spread of resistant parasites, which can be achieved by tracing resistance-associated mutations and providing useful information for drug development. Previously, we produced a novel genetic tool, a Plasmodium berghei mutator (PbMut), whose base substitution rate is 36.5 times higher than that of wild-type parasites. Here, we report the isolation of a mutant with reduced susceptibility to piperaquine (PPQ) from PbMut under PPQ pressure by sequential nine-cycle screening and named it PbMut-PPQ-R-P9. The ED50 of PbMut-PPQ-R-P9 was 1.79 times higher than that of wild-type parasites, suggesting that its PPQ resistance is weak. In the 1st screen, recrudescence occurred in the mice infected with PbMut but not in those infected with wild-type parasites, suggesting earlier emergence of PPQ-resistant parasites from PbMut. Whole-genome sequence analysis of PbMut-PPQ-R-P9 clones revealed that eight nonsynonymous mutations were conserved in all clones, including N331I in PbCRT, the gene encoding chloroquine resistance transporter (CRT). The PbCRT(N331I) mutation already existed in the parasite population after the 2nd screen and was predominant in the population after the 8th screen. An artificially inserted PbCRT(N331I) mutation gave rise to reduced PPQ susceptibility in genome-edited parasites (PbCRT-N331I). The PPQ susceptibility and growth rates of PbCRT-N331I parasites were significantly lower than those of PbMut-PPQ-R-P9, implying that additional mutations in the PbMut-PPQ-R9 parasites could compensate for the fitness cost of the PbCRT(N331I) mutation and contribute to reduced PPQ susceptibility. In summary, PbMut could serve as a novel genetic tool for predicting gene mutations responsible for drug resistance. Further study on PbMut-PPQ-R-P9 could identify genetic changes that compensate for fitness costs owing to drug resistance acquisition.

Systematic analysis of specific and nonspecific auxin effects on endocytosis and trafficking

The phytohormone auxin and its directional transport through tissues are intensively studied. However, a mechanistic understanding of auxin-mediated feedback on endocytosis and polar distribution of PIN auxin transporters remains limited due to contradictory observations and interpretations. Here, we used state-of-the-art methods to reexamine the auxin effects on PIN endocytic trafficking. We used high auxin concentrations or longer treatments versus lower concentrations and shorter treatments of natural indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and synthetic naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) auxins to distinguish between specific and nonspecific effects. Longer treatments of both auxins interfere with Brefeldin A-mediated intracellular PIN2 accumulation and also with general aggregation of endomembrane compartments. NAA treatment decreased the internalization of the endocytic tracer dye, FM4-64; however, NAA treatment also affected the number, distribution, and compartment identity of the early endosome/trans-Golgi network, rendering the FM4-64 endocytic assays at high NAA concentrations unreliable. To circumvent these nonspecific effects of NAA and IAA affecting the endomembrane system, we opted for alternative approaches visualizing the endocytic events directly at the plasma membrane (PM). Using total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy, we saw no significant effects of IAA or NAA treatments on the incidence and dynamics of clathrin foci, implying that these treatments do not affect the overall endocytosis rate. However, both NAA and IAA at low concentrations rapidly and specifically promoted endocytosis of photo-converted PIN2 from the PM. These analyses identify a specific effect of NAA and IAA on PIN2 endocytosis, thus, contributing to its polarity maintenance and furthermore illustrate that high auxin levels have nonspecific effects on trafficking and endomembrane compartments.

Exocytosis by vesicle crumpling maintains apical membrane homeostasis during exocrine secretion

Exocrine secretion commonly employs micron-scale vesicles that fuse to a limited apical surface, presenting an extreme challenge for maintaining membrane homeostasis. Using Drosophila melanogaster larval salivary glands, we show that the membranes of fused vesicles undergo actomyosin-mediated folding and retention, which prevents them from incorporating into the apical surface. In addition, the diffusion of proteins and lipids between the fused vesicle and the apical surface is limited. Actomyosin contraction and membrane crumpling are essential for recruiting clathrin-mediated endocytosis to clear the retained vesicular membrane. Finally, we also observe membrane crumpling in secretory vesicles of the mouse exocrine pancreas. We conclude that membrane sequestration by crumpling followed by targeted endocytosis of the vesicular membrane, represents a general mechanism of exocytosis that maintains membrane homeostasis in exocrine tissues that employ large secretory vesicles.

Negative Regulation of FGFR (Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor) Signaling

FGFR (fibroblast growth factor receptor) signaling controls fundamental processes in embryonic, fetal and adult human life. The magnitude, duration, and location of FGFR signaling must be strictly controlled in order to induce the correct biological response. Uncontrolled receptor signaling has been shown to lead to a variety of diseases, such as skeletal disorders and cancer. Here we review the numerous cellular mechanisms that regulate and turn off FGFR signaling, once the receptor is activated. These mechanisms include endocytosis and endocytic sorting, phosphatase activity, negative regulatory proteins and negative feedback phosphorylation events. The mechanisms act together simultaneously or sequentially, controlling the same or different steps in FGFR signaling. Although more work is needed to fully understand the regulation of FGFR signaling, it is clear that the cells in our body have evolved an extensive repertoire of mechanisms that together keep FGFR signaling tightly controlled and prevent excess FGFR signaling.

NPC1-regulated dynamic of clathrin-coated pits is essential for viral entry

Viruses utilize cellular lipids and manipulate host lipid metabolism to ensure their replication and spread. Therefore, the identification of lipids and metabolic pathways that are suitable targets for antiviral development is crucial. Using a library of compounds targeting host lipid metabolic factors and testing them for their ability to block pseudorabies virus (PRV) and vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) infection, we found that U18666A, a specific inhibitor of Niemann-Pick C1 (NPC1), is highly potent in suppressing the entry of diverse viruses including pseudotyped severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). NPC1 deficiency markedly attenuates viral growth by decreasing cholesterol abundance in the plasma membrane, thereby inhibiting the dynamics of clathrin-coated pits (CCPs), which are indispensable for clathrin-mediated endocytosis. Significantly, exogenous cholesterol can complement the dynamics of CCPs, leading to efficient viral entry and infectivity. Administration of U18666A improves the survival and pathology of PRV- and influenza A virus-infected mice. Thus, our studies demonstrate a unique mechanism by which NPC1 inhibition achieves broad antiviral activity, indicating a potential new therapeutic strategy against SARS-CoV-2, as well as other emerging viruses.

The role of ligand endocytosis in notch signalling

The Notch signalling receptor is a mechanoreceptor that is activated by force. This force elicits a conformational change in Notch that results in the release of its intracellular domain into the cytosol by two consecutive proteolytic cleavages. In most cases, the force is generated by pulling of the ligands on the receptor upon their endocytosis. In this review, we summarise recent work that shed a more detailed light on the role of endocytosis during ligand-dependent Notch activation and discuss the role of ubiquitylation of the ligands during this process.

Mapping Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor-Biased Signaling Using Proximity Labeling and Proteomics Identifies Diverse Actions of Biased Agonists

Angiotensin II type 1 receptors (AT1Rs) are one of the most widely studied G-protein-coupled receptors. To fully appreciate the diversity in cellular signaling profiles activated by AT1R transducer-biased ligands, we utilized peroxidase-catalyzed proximity labeling to capture proteins in close proximity to AT1Rs in response to six different ligands: angiotensin II (full agonist), S1I8 (partial agonist), TRV055 and TRV056 (G-protein-biased agonists), and TRV026 and TRV027 (β-arrestin-biased agonists) at 90 s, 10 min, and 60 min after stimulation (ProteomeXchange Identifier PXD023814). We systematically analyzed the kinetics of AT1R trafficking and determined that distinct ligands lead AT1R to different cellular compartments for downstream signaling activation and receptor degradation/recycling. Distinct proximity labeling of proteins from a number of functional classes, including GTPases, adaptor proteins, and kinases, was activated by different ligands suggesting unique signaling and physiological roles of the AT1R. Ligands within the same class, that is, either G-protein-biased or β-arrestin-biased, shared high similarity in their labeling profiles. A comparison between ligand classes revealed distinct signaling activation such as greater labeling by G-protein-biased ligands on ESCRT-0 complex proteins that act as the sorting machinery for ubiquitinated proteins. Our study provides a comprehensive analysis of AT1R receptor-trafficking kinetics and signaling activation profiles induced by distinct classes of ligands.

Endocytosis in the placenta: An undervalued mediator of placental transfer

Endocytosis is an essential mechanism for cellular uptake in many human tissues. A range of endocytic mechanisms occur including clathrin-dependent and -independent mechanisms. However, the role of endocytosis in the placenta and the spatial localisation of individual mechanisms is not well understood. The two principal cell layers that comprise the placental barrier to maternal-fetal transfer are the syncytiotrophoblast and fetal capillary endothelium. Endocytic uptake into the syncytiotrophoblast has been demonstrated for physiological maternal molecules such as transferrin-bound iron and low density lipoprotein (LDL) and may play an important role in the uptake of several other micronutrients, serum proteins, and therapeutics at both major placental cell barriers. These mechanisms may also mediate placental uptake of some viruses and nanoparticles. This review introduces the mechanisms of cargo-specific endocytosis and what is known about their localisation in the placenta, focussing predominantly on the syncytiotrophoblast. A fuller understanding of placental endocytosis is necessary to explain both fetal nutrition and the properties of the placental barrier. Characterising placental endocytic mechanisms and their regulation may allow us to identify their role in pregnancy pathologies and provide new avenues for therapeutic intervention.

FluoSTEPs: Fluorescent biosensors for monitoring compartmentalized signaling within endogenous microdomains

Growing evidence suggests that many essential intracellular signaling events are compartmentalized within kinetically distinct microdomains in cells. Genetically encoded fluorescent biosensors are powerful tools to dissect compartmentalized signaling, but current approaches to probe these microdomains typically rely on biosensor fusion and overexpression of critical regulatory elements. Here, we present a novel class of biosensors named FluoSTEPs (fluorescent sensors targeted to endogenous proteins) that combine self-complementing split green fluorescent protein, CRISPR-mediated knock-in, and fluorescence resonance energy transfer biosensor technology to probe compartmentalized signaling dynamics in situ. We designed FluoSTEPs for simultaneously highlighting endogenous microdomains and reporting domain-specific, real-time signaling events including kinase activities, guanosine triphosphatase activation, and second messenger dynamics in live cells. A FluoSTEP for 3',5'-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) revealed distinct cAMP dynamics within clathrin microdomains in response to stimulation of G protein-coupled receptors, showcasing the utility of FluoSTEPs in probing spatiotemporal regulation within endogenous signaling architectures.

The exosome journey: from biogenesis to uptake and intracellular signalling

The use of exosomes in clinical settings is progressively becoming a reality, as clinical trials testing exosomes for diagnostic and therapeutic applications are generating remarkable interest from the scientific community and investors. Exosomes are small extracellular vesicles secreted by all cell types playing intercellular communication roles in health and disease by transferring cellular cargoes such as functional proteins, metabolites and nucleic acids to recipient cells. An in-depth understanding of exosome biology is therefore essential to ensure clinical development of exosome based investigational therapeutic products. Here we summarise the most up-to-date knowkedge about the complex biological journey of exosomes from biogenesis and secretion, transport and uptake to their intracellular signalling. We delineate the major pathways and molecular players that influence each step of exosome physiology, highlighting the routes of interest, which will be of benefit to exosome manipulation and engineering. We highlight the main controversies in the field of exosome research: their adequate definition, characterisation and biogenesis at plasma membrane. We also delineate the most common identified pitfalls affecting exosome research and development. Unravelling exosome physiology is key to their ultimate progression towards clinical applications.

Conditional destabilization of the TPLATE complex impairs endocytic internalization

In plants, endocytosis is essential for many developmental and physiological processes, including regulation of growth and development, hormone perception, nutrient uptake, and defense against pathogens. Our toolbox to modulate this process is, however, rather limited. Here, we report a conditional tool to impair endocytosis. We generated a partially functional TPLATE allele by substituting the most conserved domain of the TPLATE subunit of the endocytic TPLATE complex (TPC). This substitution destabilizes TPC and dampens the efficiency of endocytosis. Short-term heat treatment increases TPC destabilization and reversibly delocalizes TPLATE from the plasma membrane to aggregates in the cytoplasm. This blocks FM uptake and causes accumulation of various known endocytic cargoes at the plasma membrane. Short-term heat treatment therefore transforms the partially functional TPLATE allele into an effective conditional tool to impair endocytosis. Next to their role in endocytosis, several TPC subunits are also implicated in actin-regulated autophagosomal degradation. Inactivating TPC via the WDX mutation, however, does not impair autophagy, thus enabling specific and reversible modulation of endocytosis in planta.

More than just a barrier: using physical models to couple membrane shape to cell function

The correct execution of many cellular processes, such as division and motility, requires the cell to adopt a specific shape. Physically, these shapes are determined by the interplay of the plasma membrane and internal cellular driving factors. While the plasma membrane defines the boundary of the cell, processes inside the cell can result in the generation of forces that deform the membrane. These processes include protein binding, the assembly of protein superstructures, and the growth and contraction of cytoskeletal networks. Due to the complexity of the cell, relating observed membrane deformations back to internal processes is a challenging problem. Here, we review cell shape changes in endocytosis, cell adhesion, cell migration and cell division and discuss how by modeling membrane deformations we can investigate the inner working principles of the cell.

Phosphorylation of GAPVD1 Is Regulated by the PER Complex and Linked to GAPVD1 Degradation

Repressor protein period (PER) complexes play a central role in the molecular oscillator mechanism of the mammalian circadian clock. While the main role of nuclear PER complexes is transcriptional repression, much less is known about the functions of cytoplasmic PER complexes. We found with a biochemical screen for PER2-interacting proteins that the small GTPase regulator GTPase-activating protein and VPS9 domain-containing protein 1 (GAPVD1), which has been identified previously as a component of cytoplasmic PER complexes in mice, is also a bona fide component of human PER complexes. We show that in situ GAPVD1 is closely associated with casein kinase 1 delta (CSNK1D), a kinase that regulates PER2 levels through a phosphoswitch mechanism, and that CSNK1D regulates the phosphorylation of GAPVD1. Moreover, phosphorylation determines the kinetics of GAPVD1 degradation and is controlled by PER2 and a C-terminal autoinhibitory domain in CSNK1D, indicating that the regulation of GAPVD1 phosphorylation is a novel function of cytoplasmic PER complexes and might be part of the oscillator mechanism or an output function of the circadian clock.

Liquid-like protein interactions catalyse assembly of endocytic vesicles

During clathrin-mediated endocytosis, dozens of proteins assemble into an interconnected network at the plasma membrane. As initiators of endocytosis, Eps15 and Fcho1/2 concentrate downstream components, while permitting dynamic rearrangement within the budding vesicle. How do initiator proteins meet these competing demands? Here we show that Eps15 and Fcho1/2 rely on weak, liquid-like interactions to catalyze endocytosis. In vitro, these weak interactions promote the assembly of protein droplets with liquid-like properties. To probe the physiological role of these liquid-like networks, we tuned the strength of initiator protein assembly in real time using light-inducible oligomerization of Eps15. Low light levels drove liquid-like assemblies, restoring normal rates of endocytosis in mammalian Eps15 knockout cells. In contrast, initiator proteins formed solid-like assemblies upon exposure to higher light levels, which stalled vesicle budding, likely owing to insufficient molecular rearrangement. These findings suggest that liquid-like assembly of initiator proteins provides an optimal catalytic platform for endocytosis.

Equilibrium mechanisms of self-limiting assembly

Self-assembly is a ubiquitous process in synthetic and biological systems, broadly defined as the spontaneous organization of multiple subunits (e.g. macromolecules, particles) into ordered multi-unit structures. The vast majority of equilibrium assembly processes give rise to two states: one consisting of dispersed disassociated subunits, and the other, a bulk-condensed state of unlimited size. This review focuses on the more specialized class of self-limiting assembly, which describes equilibrium assembly processes resulting in finite-size structures. These systems pose a generic and basic question, how do thermodynamic processes involving non-covalent interactions between identical subunits "measure" and select the size of assembled structures? In this review, we begin with an introduction to the basic statistical mechanical framework for assembly thermodynamics, and use this to highlight the key physical ingredients that ensure equilibrium assembly will terminate at finite dimensions. Then, we introduce examples of self-limiting assembly systems, and classify them within this framework based on two broad categories: self-closing assemblies and open-boundary assemblies. These include well-known cases in biology and synthetic soft matter - micellization of amphiphiles and shell/tubule formation of tapered subunits - as well as less widely known classes of assemblies, such as short-range attractive/long-range repulsive systems and geometrically-frustrated assemblies. For each of these self-limiting mechanisms, we describe the physical mechanisms that select equilibrium assembly size, as well as potential limitations of finite-size selection. Finally, we discuss alternative mechanisms for finite-size assemblies, and draw contrasts with the size-control that these can achieve relative to self-limitation in equilibrium, single-species assemblies.

Dynamic Dissection of the Endocytosis of Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Coronavirus Cooperatively Mediated by Clathrin and Caveolae as Visualized by Single-Virus Tracking

Coronaviruses (CoVs) have caused severe diseases in humans and animals. Endocytic pathways, such as clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME) and caveolae-mediated endocytosis (CavME), play an important role for CoVs to penetrate the cell membrane barrier. In this study, a novel CoV entry manner is unraveled in which clathrin and caveolae can cooperatively mediate endocytosis of porcine epidemic diarrhea coronavirus (PEDV). Using multicolor live-cell imaging, the dynamics of the fluorescently labeled clathrin structures, caveolae structures, and PEDV were dissected. During CavME of PEDV, we found that clathrin structures can fuse with caveolae near the cell plasma membrane, and the average time of PEDV penetrating the cell membrane was within ∼3 min, exhibiting a rapid course of PEDV entry. Moreover, based on the dynamic recruitment of clathrin and caveolae structures and viral motility, the direct evidence also shows that about 20% of PEDVs can undergo an abortive entry via CME and CavME. Additionally, the dynamic trafficking of PEDV from clathrin and caveolae structures to early endosomes, and from early endosomes to late endosomes, and viral fusion were directly dissected, and PEDV fusion mainly occurred in late endosomes within ∼6.8 min after the transport of PEDV to late endosomes. Collectively, this work systematically unravels the early steps of PEDV infection, which expands our understanding of the mechanism of CoV infection.IMPORTANCE Emerging and re-emerging coronaviruses cause serious human and animal epidemics worldwide. For many enveloped viruses, including coronavirus, it is evident that breaking the plasma membrane barrier is a pivotal and complex process, which contains multiple dynamic steps. Although great efforts have been made to understand the mechanisms of coronavirus endocytic pathways, the direct real-time imaging of individual porcine epidemic diarrhea coronavirus (PEDV) internalization has not been achieved yet. In this study, we not only dissected the kinetics of PEDV entry via clathrin-mediated endocytosis and caveolae-mediated endocytosis and the kinetics of endosome trafficking and viral fusion but also found a novel productive coronavirus entry manner in which clathrin and caveolae can cooperatively mediate endocytosis of PEDV. Moreover, we uncovered the existence of PEDV abortive endocytosis. In summary, the productive PEDV entry via the cooperation between clathrin and caveolae structures and the abortive endocytosis of PEDV provide new insights into coronavirus penetrating the plasma membrane barrier.

Wnt/β-catenin signaling: Structure, assembly and endocytosis of the signalosome

Wnt/β‐catenin signaling is an ancient pathway that regulates key aspects of embryonic development, cell differentiation, proliferation, and adult stem cell homeostasis. Work from different laboratories has shed light on the molecular mechanisms underlying the Wnt pathway, including structural details of ligand–receptor interactions. One key aspect that has emerged from multiple studies is that endocytosis of the receptor complex plays a crucial role in fine‐tuning Wnt/β‐catenin signaling. Endocytosis is a key process involved in both activation as well as attenuation of Wnt signaling, but how this is regulated is still poorly understood. Importantly, recent findings show that Wnt also regulates central metabolic pathways such as the acquisition of nutrients through actin‐driven endocytic mechanisms. In this review, we propose that the Wnt pathway displays diverse characteristics that go beyond the regulation of gene expression, through a connection with the endocytic machinery.

Phosphoinositides: Roles in the Development of Microglial-Mediated Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration

Microglia are increasingly recognized as vital players in the pathology of a variety of neurodegenerative conditions including Alzheimer’s (AD) and Parkinson’s (PD) disease. While microglia have a protective role in the brain, their dysfunction can lead to neuroinflammation and contributes to disease progression. Also, a growing body of literature highlights the seven phosphoinositides, or PIPs, as key players in the regulation of microglial-mediated neuroinflammation. These small signaling lipids are phosphorylated derivates of phosphatidylinositol, are enriched in the brain, and have well-established roles in both homeostasis and disease.Disrupted PIP levels and signaling has been detected in a variety of dementias. Moreover, many known AD disease modifiers identified via genetic studies are expressed in microglia and are involved in phospholipid metabolism. One of these, the enzyme PLCγ2 that hydrolyzes the PIP species PI(4,5)P₂, displays altered expression in AD and PD and is currently being investigated as a potential therapeutic target.Perhaps unsurprisingly, neurodegenerative conditions exhibiting PIP dyshomeostasis also tend to show alterations in aspects of microglial function regulated by these lipids. In particular, phosphoinositides regulate the activities of proteins and enzymes required for endocytosis, toll-like receptor signaling, purinergic signaling, chemotaxis, and migration, all of which are affected in a variety of neurodegenerative conditions. These functions are crucial to allow microglia to adequately survey the brain and respond appropriately to invading pathogens and other abnormalities, including misfolded proteins. AD and PD therapies are being developed to target many of the above pathways, and although not yet investigated, simultaneous PIP manipulation might enhance the beneficial effects observed. Currently, only limited therapeutics are available for dementia, and although these show some benefits for symptom severity and progression, they are far from curative. Given the importance of microglia and PIPs in dementia development, this review summarizes current research and asks whether we can exploit this information to design more targeted, or perhaps combined, dementia therapeutics. More work is needed to fully characterize the pathways discussed in this review, but given the strength of the current literature, insights in this area could be invaluable for the future of neurodegenerative disease research.

Overcoming Chemoresistance via Extracellular Vesicle Inhibition

With the ever-growing number of cancer deaths worldwide, researchers have been working hard to identify the key reasons behind the failure of cancer therapies so the efficacy of those therapies may be improved. Based on extensive research activities and observations done by researchers, chemoresistance has been identified as a major contributor to the drastic number of deaths among cancer patients. Several factors have been linked to formation of chemoresistance, such as chemotherapy drug efflux, immunosuppression, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Lately, increasing evidence has shed light on the role of extracellular vesicles (EVs) in the regulation of chemoresistance. However, there is limited research into the possibility that inhibiting EV release or uptake in cancer cells may curb chemoresistance, allowing chemotherapy drugs to target cancer cells without restriction. Prominent inhibitors of EV uptake and release in cancer cells have been compiled and contrasted in this review. This is in the hope of sparking greater interest in the field of EV-mediated chemoresistance, as well as to provide an overview of the field for fundamental and clinical research communities, particularly in the field of cancer resistance research. In-depth studies of EV-mediated chemoresistance and EV inhibitors in cancer cells would spur significant improvement in cancer treatments which are currently available.

SH3BP4 promotes neuropilin-1 and α5-integrin endocytosis and is inhibited by Akt

Cells probe their surrounding matrix for attachment sites via integrins that are internalized by endocytosis. We find that SH3BP4 regulates integrin surface expression in a signaling-dependent manner via clathrin-coated pits (CCPs). Dephosphorylated SH3BP4 at S246 is efficiently recruited to CCPs, while upon Akt phosphorylation, SH3BP4 is sequestered by 14-3-3 adaptors and excluded from CCPs. In the absence of Akt activity, SH3BP4 binds GIPC1 and targets neuropilin-1 and α5/β1-integrin for endocytosis, leading to inhibition of cell spreading. Similarly, chemorepellent semaphorin-3a binds neuropilin-1 to activate PTEN, which antagonizes Akt and thus recruits SH3BP4 to CCPs to internalize both receptors and induce cell contraction. In PTEN mutant non-small cell lung cancer cells with high Akt activity, expression of non-phosphorylatable active SH3BP4-S246A restores semaphorin-3a induced cell contraction. Thus, SH3BP4 links Akt signaling to endocytosis of NRP1 and α5/β1-integrins to modulate cell-matrix interactions in response to intrinsic and extrinsic cues.

Wbox2: A clathrin terminal domain-derived peptide inhibitor of clathrin-mediated endocytosis

Clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME) occurs via the formation of clathrin-coated vesicles from clathrin-coated pits (CCPs). Clathrin is recruited to CCPs through interactions between the AP2 complex and its N-terminal domain, which in turn recruits endocytic accessory proteins. Inhibitors of CME that interfere with clathrin function have been described, but their specificity and mechanisms of action are unclear. Here we show that overexpression of the N-terminal domain with (TDD) or without (TD) the distal leg inhibits CME and CCP dynamics by perturbing clathrin interactions with AP2 and SNX9. TDD overexpression does not affect clathrin-independent endocytosis or, surprisingly, AP1-dependent lysosomal trafficking from the Golgi. We designed small membrane–permeant peptides that encode key functional residues within the four known binding sites on the TD. One peptide, Wbox2, encoding residues along the W-box motif binding surface, binds to SNX9 and AP2 and potently and acutely inhibits CME.

Redesign of protein nanocages: the way from 0D, 1D, 2D to 3D assembly

Compartmentalization is a hallmark of living systems. Through compartmentalization, ubiquitous protein nanocages such as viral capsids, ferritin, small heat shock proteins, and DNA-binding proteins from starved cells fulfill a variety of functions, while their shell-like structures hold great promise for various applications in the field of nanomedicine and nanotechnology. However, the number and structure of natural protein nanocages are limited, and these natural protein nanocages may not be suited for a given application, which might impede their further application as nanovehicles, biotemplates or building blocks. To overcome these shortcomings, different strategies have been developed by scientists to construct artificial protein nanocages, and 1D, 2D and 3D protein arrays with protein nanocages as building blocks through genetic and chemical modification to rival the size and functionality of natural protein nanocages. This review outlines the recent advances in the field of the design and construction of artificial protein nanocages and their assemblies with higher order, summarizes the strategies for creating the assembly of protein nanocages from zero-dimension to three dimensions, and introduces their corresponding applications in the preparation of nanomaterials, electrochemistry, and drug delivery. The review will highlight the roles of both the inter-subunit/intermolecular interactions at the key interface and the protein symmetry in constructing and controlling protein nanocage assemblies with different dimensions.

Presynaptic Kv3 channels are required for fast and slow endocytosis of synaptic vesicles

Since their discovery decades ago, the primary physiological and pathological effects of potassium channels have been attributed to their ion conductance, which sets membrane potential and repolarizes action potentials. For example, Kv3 family channels regulate neurotransmitter release by repolarizing action potentials. Here we report a surprising but crucial function independent of potassium conductance: by organizing the F-actin cytoskeleton in mouse nerve terminals, the Kv3.3 protein facilitates slow endocytosis, rapid endocytosis, vesicle mobilization to the readily releasable pool, and recovery of synaptic depression during repetitive firing. A channel mutation that causes spinocerebellar ataxia inhibits endocytosis, vesicle mobilization, and synaptic transmission during repetitive firing by disrupting the ability of the channel to nucleate F-actin. These results unmask novel functions of potassium channels in endocytosis and vesicle mobilization crucial for sustaining synaptic transmission during repetitive firing. Potassium channel mutations that impair these "non-conducting" functions may thus contribute to generation of diverse neurological disorders.

Class II phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase isoforms in vesicular trafficking

Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinases (PI3Ks) are critical regulators of many cellular processes including cell survival, proliferation, migration, cytoskeletal reorganization, and intracellular vesicular trafficking. They are a family of lipid kinases that phosphorylate membrane phosphoinositide lipids at the 3′ position of their inositol rings, and in mammals they are divided into three classes. The role of the class III PI3K Vps34 is well-established, but recent evidence suggests the physiological significance of class II PI3K isoforms in vesicular trafficking. This review focuses on the recently discovered functions of the distinct PI3K-C2α and PI3K-C2β class II PI3K isoforms in clathrin-mediated endocytosis and consequent endosomal signaling, and discusses recently reported data on class II PI3K isoforms in different physiological contexts in comparison with class I and III isoforms.

Endocytosis against high turgor pressure is made easier by partial coating and freely rotating base

During clathrin-mediated endocytosis, a patch of flat plasma membrane is deformed into a vesicle. In walled cells, such as plants and fungi, the turgor pressure is high and pushes the membrane against the cell wall, thus hindering membrane internalization. In this work, we study how a patch of membrane is deformed against turgor pressure by force and by curvature-generating proteins. We show that a large amount of force is needed to merely start deforming the membrane and an even larger force is needed to pull a membrane tube. The magnitude of these forces strongly depends on how the base of the membrane is constrained and how the membrane is coated with curvature-generating proteins. In particular, these forces can be reduced by partially, but not fully, coating the membrane patch with curvature-generating proteins. Our theoretical results show excellent agreement with experimental data.

Identifying the Prognostic Risk Factors of Synaptojanin 2 and Its Underlying Perturbations Pathways in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Synaptojanin 2 (SYNJ2) regulates cell proliferation and apoptosis via dephosphorylating plasma membrane phosphoinositides. Aim of this study is to first seek the full-scale expression levels and potential emerging roles of SYNJ2 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We systematically analyzed SYNJ2 mRNA expression and protein levels in HCC tissues based on large-scale data and in-house immunohistochemistry (IHC). The clinical significance and risk factors for SYNJ2-related HCC cases were identified. A nomogram of prognosis was created and its performance was validated by concordance index (C-index) and shown in calibration plots. Based on the identified differentially coexpressed genes (DCGs) of SYNJ2, enriched annotations and potential pathways were predicted, and the protein interacting networks were mapped. Upregulated SYNJ2 in 3,728 HCC and 3,203 non-HCC tissues were verified and in-house IHC showed higher protein levels of SYNJ2 in HCC tissues. Pathologic T stage was identified as a risk factor. Upregulated mRNA levels and mutated SYNJ2 might cause a poorer outcome. The C-index of the nomogram model constructed by SYNJ2 level, age, gender, TNM classification, grade, and stage was evaluated as 0.643 (95%CI = 0.619–0.668) with well-calibrated plots. A total of 2,533 DCGs were extracted and mainly functioned together with SYNJ2 in metabolic pathways. Possible transcriptional axis of CTCF/POLR2A-SYNJ2/INPP5B (transcription factor-target) in metabolic pathways was discovered based on ChIP-seq datasets. In summary, transcriptional regulatory axis CTCF/POLR2A-SYNJ2 might influence SYNJ2 expression levels. Increased SYNJ2 expression level could be utilized for predicting HCC prognosis and potentially accelerates the occurrence and development of HCC via metabolic perturbations pathways.

Optimality in Self-Organized Molecular Sorting

We introduce a simple physical picture to explain the process of molecular sorting, whereby specific proteins are concentrated and distilled into submicrometric lipid vesicles in eukaryotic cells. To this purpose, we formulate a model based on the coupling of spontaneous molecular aggregation with vesicle nucleation. Its implications are studied by means of a phenomenological theory describing the diffusion of molecules toward multiple sorting centers that grow due to molecule absorption and are extracted when they reach a sufficiently large size. The predictions of the theory are compared with numerical simulations of a lattice-gas realization of the model and with experimental observations. The efficiency of the distillation process is found to be optimal for intermediate aggregation rates, where the density of sorted molecules is minimal and the process obeys simple scaling laws. Quantitative measures of endocytic sorting performed in primary endothelial cells are compatible with the hypothesis that these optimal conditions are realized in living cells.

Role of Clathrin Light Chains in Regulating Invadopodia Formation

One of the most fundamental processes of the cell is the uptake of molecules from the surrounding environment. Clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME) is the best-described uptake pathway and regulates nutrient uptake, protein and lipid turnover at the plasma membrane (PM), cell signaling, cell motility and cell polarity. The main protein in CME is clathrin, which assembles as a triskelion-looking building block made of three clathrin heavy chains and three clathrin light chains. Compared to clathrin heavy chains (CHCs), the role of the two isoforms of clathrin light chains (CLCA and CLCB) is poorly understood. Here, we confirm that the simultaneous deletion of both CLCA/B causes abnormal actin structures at the ventral PM and we describe them, for the first time, as functional invadopodia rather than disorganized actin-cytoskeleton assembly sites. Their identification is based on the occurrence of common invadopodia markers as well as functional invadopodia activity characterized by an increased local proteolytic activity of the extracellular matrix proteins. We demonstrate that CLCA/B deletion impacts the intracellular trafficking and recovery of the matrix metalloproteinase 14 (MMP14) leading to its accumulation at the plasma membrane and induction of invadopodia formation. Importantly, we show that invadopodia formation can be prevented by depletion of MMP14. As such, we propose that CLCA/B regulate invadopodia formation by regulating MMP14 delivery to the plasma membrane.

Serological Levels of Anti-clathrin Antibodies Are Decreased in Patients With Pseudoexfoliation Glaucoma

Evidence for immunologic contribution to glaucoma pathophysiology is steadily increasing in ophthalmic research. Particularly, an altered abundance of circulating autoantibodies to ocular antigens is frequently observed. Here, we report an analysis of autoantibody abundancies to selected antigens in sera of open-angle glaucoma patients, subdivided into normal-tension glaucoma (N = 31), primary open-angle glaucoma (N = 43) and pseudoexfoliation glaucoma (N = 45), vs. a non-glaucomatous control group (N = 46). Serum samples were analyzed by protein microarray, including 38 antigens. Differences in antibody levels were assessed by ANOVA. Five serological antibodies showed significantly altered levels among the four groups (P < 0.05), which can be used to cluster the subjects in groups consisting mainly of PEXG or POAG/NTG samples. Among the altered autoantibodies, anti-Clathrin antibodies were identified as most important subgroup predictors, enhancing prospective glaucoma subtype prediction. As a second aim, we wanted to gain further insights into the characteristics of previously identified glaucoma-related antigens and their role in glaucoma pathogenesis. To this end, we used the bioinformatics toolset of Metascape to construct protein-protein interaction networks and GO enrichment analysis. Glaucoma-related antigens were significantly enriched in 13 biological processes, including mRNA metabolism, protein folding, blood coagulation and apoptosis, proposing a link of glaucoma-associated pathways to changes in the autoantibody repertoire. In conclusion, our study provides new aspects of the involvement of natural autoimmunity in glaucoma pathomechanisms and promotes advanced opportunities toward new diagnostic approaches.

Specialised endocytic proteins regulate diverse internalisation mechanisms and signalling outputs in physiology and cancer

Although endocytosis was first described as the process mediating macromolecule or nutrient uptake through the plasma membrane, it is now recognised as a critical component of the cellular infrastructure involved in numerous processes, ranging from receptor signalling, proliferation and migration to polarity and stem cell regulation. To realise these varying roles, endocytosis needs to be finely regulated. Accordingly, multiple endocytic mechanisms exist that require specialised molecular machineries and an array of endocytic adaptor proteins with cell-specific functions. This review provides some examples of specialised functions of endocytic adaptors and other components of the endocytic machinery in different cell physiological processes, and how the alteration of these functions is linked to cancer. In particular, we focus on: (i) cargo selection and endocytic mechanisms linked to different adaptors; (ii) specialised functions in clathrin-mediated versus non-clathrin endocytosis; (iii) differential regulation of endocytic mechanisms by post-translational modification of endocytic proteins; (iv) cell context-dependent expression and function of endocytic proteins. As cases in point, we describe two endocytic protein families, dynamins and epsins. Finally, we discuss how dysregulation of the physiological role of these specialised endocytic proteins is exploited by cancer cells to increase cell proliferation, migration and invasion, leading to anti-apoptotic or pro-metastatic behaviours.

Resolving cargo-motor-track interactions with bifocal parallax single-particle tracking

Resolving coordinated biomolecular interactions in living cellular environments is vital for understanding the mechanisms of molecular nanomachines. The conventional approach relies on localizing and tracking target biomolecules and/or subcellular organelles labeled with imaging probes. However, it is challenging to gain information on rotational dynamics, which can be more indicative of the work done by molecular motors and their dynamic binding status. Herein, a bifocal parallax single-particle tracking method using half-plane point spread functions has been developed to resolve the full-range azimuth angle (0-360°), polar angle, and three-dimensional (3D) displacement in real time under complex living cell conditions. Using this method, quantitative rotational and translational motion of the cargo in a 3D cell cytoskeleton was obtained. Not only were well-known active intracellular transport and free diffusion observed, but new interactions (tight attachment and tethered rotation) were also discovered for better interpretation of the dynamics of cargo-motor-track interactions at various types of microtubule intersections.

α-Synuclein facilitates endocytosis by elevating the steady-state levels of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate

α-Synuclein (α-Syn) is a protein implicated in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD). It is an intrinsically disordered protein that binds acidic phospholipids. Growing evidence supports a role for α-Syn in membrane trafficking, including, mechanisms of endocytosis and exocytosis, although the exact role of α-Syn in these mechanisms is currently unclear. Here we investigate the associations of α-Syn with the acidic phosphoinositides (PIPs), phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PI(4,5)P2) and phosphatidylinositol 3,4-bisphosphate (PI(3,4)P2). Our results show that α-Syn colocalizes with PIP2 and the phosphorylated active form of the clathrin adaptor protein 2 (AP2) at clathrin-coated pits. Using endocytosis of transferrin as an indicator for clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME), we find that α-Syn involvement in endocytosis is specifically mediated through PI(4,5)P2 levels on the plasma membrane. In accord with their effects on PI(4,5)P2 levels, the PD associated A30P, E46K, and A53T mutations in α-Syn further enhance CME in neuronal and nonneuronal cells. However, lysine to glutamic acid substitutions at the KTKEGV repeat domain of α-Syn, which interfere with phospholipid binding, are ineffective in enhancing CME. We further show that the rate of synaptic vesicle (SV) endocytosis is differentially affected by the α-Syn mutations and associates with their effects on PI(4,5)P2 levels, however, with the exception of the A30P mutation. This study provides evidence for a critical involvement of PIPs in α-Syn-mediated membrane trafficking.

Beyond the Surface: Endocytosis of Mosquito-Borne Flaviviruses

Flaviviruses are a group of positive-sense RNA viruses that are primarily transmitted through arthropod vectors and are capable of causing a broad spectrum of diseases. Many of the flaviviruses that are pathogenic in humans are transmitted specifically through mosquito vectors. Over the past century, many mosquito-borne flavivirus infections have emerged and re-emerged, and are of global importance with hundreds of millions of infections occurring yearly. There is a need for novel, effective, and accessible vaccines and antivirals capable of inhibiting flavivirus infection and ameliorating disease. The development of therapeutics targeting viral entry has long been a goal of antiviral research, but most efforts are hindered by the lack of broad-spectrum potency or toxicities associated with on-target effects, since many host proteins necessary for viral entry are also essential for host cell biology. Mosquito-borne flaviviruses generally enter cells by clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME), and recent studies suggest that a subset of these viruses can be internalized through a specialized form of CME that has additional dependencies distinct from canonical CME pathways, and antivirals targeting this pathway have been discovered. In this review, we discuss the role and contribution of endocytosis to mosquito-borne flavivirus entry as well as consider past and future efforts to target endocytosis for therapeutic interventions.

Inhibition of clathrin-mediated endocytosis by knockdown of AP-2 leads to alterations in the plasma membrane proteome

In eukaryotic cells, clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME) is a central pathway for the internalization of proteins from the cell surface, thereby contributing to the maintenance of the plasma membrane protein composition. A key component for the formation of endocytic clathrin-coated vesicles (CCVs) is AP-2, as it sequesters cargo membrane proteins, recruits a multitude of other endocytic factors and initiates clathrin polymerization. Here, we inhibited CME by depletion of AP-2 and explored the consequences for the plasma membrane proteome. Quantitative analysis revealed accumulation of major constituents of the endosomal-lysosomal system reflecting a block in retrieval by compensatory CME. The noticeable enrichment of integrins and blockage of their turnover resulted in severely impaired cell migration. Rare proteins such as the anti-cancer drug target CA9 and tumor markers (CD73, CD164, CD302) were significantly enriched. The AP-2 knockdown attenuated the global endocytic capacity, but clathrin-independent entry pathways were still operating, as indicated by persistent internalization of specific membrane-spanning and GPI-anchored receptors (PVR, IGF1R, CD55, TNAP). We hypothesize that blocking AP-2 function and thus inhibiting CME may be a novel approach to identify new druggable targets, or to increase their residence time at the plasma membrane, thereby increasing the probability for efficient therapeutic intervention.

Competing pathways for the invagination of clathrin-coated membranes

Clathrin-mediated endocytosis is the major pathway by which eukaryotic cells take up extracellular material, but it is still elusive which physical pathways are being taken during membrane invagination. From a continuum point of view, it can be driven by increases in coat stiffness, preferred curvature or line tension. Here we develop a comprehensive theoretical framework that can be solved analytically and that predicts the consequences of these different scenarios. We find that for the case of increasing stiffness or preferred curvature, curvature will be acquired gradually with growth, while for increasing line tension, the lattice must have grown to a certain size before a flat-to-curved transition can occur. At low membrane tension, the critical value for coat stiffness is 30 kBT, for preferred curvature it is 200 nm, and for line tension it is 6 pN. For high membrane tension, critical coat stiffness is 150 kBT and critical preferred curvature is 70 nm. In the mixed case when a coat with finite rigidity but increasing line tension is considered, a cup-to-sphere transition can occur for a line tension of 6 pN. The flat-to-curved and the cup-to-sphere transitions driven by line tension are both suppressed by high membrane tension.