Feast or famine: role of TRPML in preventing cellular amino acid starvation

TitleFeast or famine: role of TRPML in preventing cellular amino acid starvation
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2013
AuthorsVenkatachalam K, Wong C-O, Montell C
JournalAutophagy
Volume9
Pagination98-100
Date Published2013 Jan
ISSN1554-8635
KeywordsAmino Acids, Animals, Autophagy, Drosophila, Drosophila Proteins, Humans, Models, Biological, Mucolipidoses, Multiprotein Complexes, Neurons, TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases, Transcription Factors, Transient Receptor Potential Channels
Abstract

Lysosomal storage diseases are metabolic disorders characterized by the accumulation of acidic vacuoles, and are usually the consequence of the deficiency of an enzyme responsible for the metabolism of vesicular lipids, proteins or carbohydrates. In contrast, mucolipidosis type IV (MLIV), results from the absence of a vesicular Ca ( 2+) release channel called mucolipin 1/transient receptor potential mucolipin 1 (MCOLN1/TRPML1) which is required for the fusion of amphisomes with lysosomes. In Drosophila, ablation of the MCOLN1 homolog (trpml) leads to diminished viability during pupation when the animals rely on autophagy for nutrients. This pupal lethality results from decreased target of rapamycin complex 1 (TORC1) signaling, and is reversed by reactivating TORC1. Our findings indicate that one of the primary causes of toxicity in the absence of TRPML is cellular amino acid starvation, and the resulting decrease in TORC1 activity. Furthermore, our findings raise the intriguing possibility that the neurological dysfunction in MLIV patients may arise from amino acid deprivation in neurons. Therefore, future studies evaluating the levels of amino acids and TORC1 activity in MLIV neurons may aid in the development of novel therapeutic strategies to combat the severe manifestations of MLIV.

DOI10.4161/auto.22260
Alternate JournalAutophagy
PubMed ID23047439
PubMed Central IDPMC3542223