Hedgehog (Hh) is a secreted morphogen involved in both short- and long-range signaling necessary for tissue patterning during development. It is unclear how this dually lipidated protein is transported over a long range in the aqueous milieu of interstitial spaces. We previously showed that the long-range signaling of Hh requires its oligomerization. Here we show that Hh is secreted in the form of exovesicles. These are derived by the endocytic delivery of cell surface Hh to multivesicular bodies (MVBs) via an endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ECSRT)-dependent process. Perturbations of ESCRT proteins have a selective effect on long-range Hh signaling in Drosophila wing imaginal discs. Of importance, oligomerization-defective Hh is inefficiently incorporated into exovesicles due to its poor endocytic delivery to MVBs. These results provide evidence that nanoscale organization of Hh regulates the secretion of Hh on ESCRT-derived exovesicles, which in turn act as a vehicle for long-range signaling.

Cell-to-cell fusion plays an important role in normal physiology and in different pathological conditions. Early fusion stages mediated by specialized proteins and yielding fusion pores are followed by a pore expansion stage that is dependent on cell metabolism and yet unidentified machinery. Because of a similarity of membrane bending in the fusion pore rim and in highly curved intracellular membrane compartments, in the present study we explored whether changes in the activity of the proteins that generate these compartments affect cell fusion initiated by protein fusogens of influenza virus and baculovirus. We raised the intracellular concentration of curvature-generating proteins in cells by either expressing or microinjecting the ENTH (epsin N-terminal homology) domain of epsin or by expressing the GRAF1 (GTPase regulator associated with focal adhesion kinase 1) BAR (Bin/amphiphysin/Rvs) domain or the FCHo2 (FCH domain-only protein 2) F-BAR domain. Each of these treatments promoted syncytium formation. Cell fusion extents were also influenced by treatments targeting the function of another curvature-generating protein, dynamin. Cell-membrane-permeant inhibitors of dynamin GTPase blocked expansion of fusion pores and dominant-negative mutants of dynamin influenced the syncytium formation extents. We also report that syncytium formation is inhibited by reagents lowering the content and accessibility of PtdIns(4,5)P(2), an important regulator of intracellular membrane remodelling. Our findings indicate that fusion pore expansion at late stages of cell-to-cell fusion is mediated, directly or indirectly, by intracellular membrane-shaping proteins.

Senescent endothelial cells (EC) have been identified in cardiovascular disease, in angiogenic tumour associated vessels and in aged individuals. We have previously identified a novel anti-inflammatory senescent phenotype of EC. We show here that caveolae are critical in the induction of this anti-inflammatory senescent state. Senescent EC induced by either the overexpression of ARHGAP18/SENEX or by H₂O₂ showed significantly increased numbers of caveolae and associated proteins Caveolin-1, cavin-1 and cavin-2. Depletion of these proteins by RNA interference decreased senescence induced by ARHGAP18 and by H₂O₂. ARHGAP18 overexpression induced a predominantly anti-inflammatory senescent population and depletion of the caveolae-associated proteins resulted in the preferential reduction in this senescent population as measured by neutrophil adhesion and adhesion protein expression after TNFα treatment. In confirmation, EC isolated from the aortas of CAV-1(-/-) mice failed to induce this anti-inflammatory senescent cell population upon expression of ARHGAP18, whereas EC from wild-type mice showed a significant increase. NF-κB is one of the major transcription factors mediating the induction of E-selectin and VCAM-1 expression, adhesion molecules responsible for leucocyte attachment to EC. TNFα-induced activation of NF-κB was suppressed in ARHGAP18-induced senescent EC, and this inhibition was reversed by Caveolin-1 knock-down. Thus, out results demonstrate that an increase in caveolae and its component proteins in senescent ECs is associated with inhibition of the NF-kB signalling pathway and promotion of the anti-inflammatory senescent pathway.

The ErbB2 receptor is a clinically validated cancer target whose internalization and trafficking mechanisms remain poorly understood. HSP90 inhibitors, such as geldanamycin (GA), have been developed to target the receptor to degradation or to modulate downstream signaling. Despite intense investigations, the entry route and postendocytic sorting of ErbB2 upon GA stimulation have remained controversial. We report that ErbB2 levels inversely impact cell clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME) capacity. Indeed, the high levels of the receptor are responsible for its own low internalization rate. GA treatment does not directly modulate ErbB2 CME rate but it affects ErbB2 recycling fate, routing the receptor to modified multivesicular endosomes (MVBs) and lysosomal compartments, by perturbing early/recycling endosome structure and sorting capacity. This activity occurs irrespective of the cargo interaction with HSP90, as both ErbB2 and the constitutively recycled, HSP90-independent, transferrin receptor are found within modified endosomes, and within aberrant, elongated recycling tubules, leading to modified MVBs/lysosomes. We propose that GA, as part of its anticancer activity, perturbs early/recycling endosome sorting, routing recycling cargoes toward mixed endosomal compartments.

Control of lipid droplet (LD) nucleation and copy number are critical, yet poorly understood, processes. We use model peptides that shift from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to LDs in response to fatty acids to characterize the initial steps of LD formation occurring in lipid-starved cells. Initially, arriving lipids are rapidly packed in LDs that are resistant to starvation (pre-LDs). Pre-LDs are restricted ER microdomains with a stable core of neutral lipids. Subsequently, a first round of "emerging" LDs is nucleated, providing additional lipid storage capacity. Finally, in proportion to lipid concentration, new rounds of LDs progressively assemble. Confocal microscopy and electron tomography suggest that emerging LDs are nucleated in a limited number of ER microdomains after a synchronized stepwise process of protein gathering, lipid packaging, and recognition by Plin3 and Plin2. A comparative analysis demonstrates that the acyl-CoA synthetase 3 is recruited early to the assembly sites, where it is required for efficient LD nucleation and lipid storage.

Lipid droplets are found in all cell types. Normally present at low levels in the brain, they accumulate in tumours and are associated with neurodegenerative diseases. However, little is known about the mechanisms controlling their homeostasis in the brain. We found that GRAF1a, the longest GRAF1 isoform (GRAF1 is also known as ARHGAP26), was enriched in the brains of neonates. Endogenous GRAF1a was found on lipid droplets in oleic-acid-fed primary glial cells. Exclusive localization required a GRAF1a-specific hydrophobic segment and two membrane-binding regions, a BAR and a PH domain. Overexpression of GRAF1a promoted lipid droplet clustering, inhibited droplet mobility and severely perturbed lipolysis following the chase of cells overloaded with fatty acids. Under these conditions, GRAF1a concentrated at the interface between lipid droplets. Although GRAF1-knockout mice did not show any gross abnormal phenotype, the total lipid droplet volume that accumulated in GRAF1(-/-) primary glia upon incubation with fatty acids was reduced compared to GRAF1(+/+) cells. These results provide additional insights into the mechanisms contributing to lipid droplet growth in non-adipocyte cells, and suggest that proteins with membrane sculpting BAR domains play a role in droplet homeostasis.

Several studies have suggested crosstalk between different clathrin-independent endocytic pathways. However, the molecular mechanisms and functional relevance of these interactions are unclear. Caveolins and cavins are crucial components of caveolae, specialized microdomains that also constitute an endocytic route. Here we show that specific caveolar proteins are independently acting negative regulators of clathrin-independent endocytosis. Cavin-1 and Cavin-3, but not Cavin-2 or Cavin-4, are potent inhibitors of the clathrin-independent carriers/GPI-AP enriched early endosomal compartment (CLIC/GEEC) endocytic pathway, in a process independent of caveola formation. Caveolin-1 (CAV1) and CAV3 also inhibit the CLIC/GEEC pathway upon over-expression. Expression of caveolar protein leads to reduction in formation of early CLIC/GEEC carriers, as detected by quantitative electron microscopy analysis. Furthermore, the CLIC/GEEC pathway is upregulated in cells lacking CAV1/Cavin-1 or with reduced expression of Cavin-1 and Cavin-3. Inhibition by caveolins can be mimicked by the isolated caveolin scaffolding domain and is associated with perturbed diffusion of lipid microdomain components, as revealed by fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) studies. In the absence of cavins (and caveolae) CAV1 is itself endocytosed preferentially through the CLIC/GEEC pathway, but the pathway loses polarization and sorting attributes with consequences for membrane dynamics and endocytic polarization in migrating cells and adult muscle tissue. We also found that noncaveolar Cavin-1 can act as a modulator for the activity of the key regulator of the CLIC/GEEC pathway, Cdc42. This work provides new insights into the regulation of noncaveolar clathrin-independent endocytosis by specific caveolar proteins, illustrating multiple levels of crosstalk between these pathways. We show for the first time a role for specific cavins in regulating the CLIC/GEEC pathway, provide a new tool to study this pathway, identify caveola-independent functions of the cavins and propose a novel mechanism for inhibition of the CLIC/GEEC pathway by caveolin.

Mammalian cells store excess fatty acids as neutral lipids in specialised organelles called lipid droplets (LDs). Using a simple cell-based assay and open-source software we established a high throughput screen for LD formation in A431 cells in order to identify small bioactive molecules affecting lipid storage. Screening an n-butanol extract library from Australian marine organisms we identified 114 extracts that produced either an increase or a decrease in LD formation in fatty acid-treated A431 cells with varying degrees of cytotoxicity. We selected for further analysis a non-cytotoxic extract derived from the genus Spongia (Heterofibria). Solvent partitioning, HPLC fractionation and spectroscopic analysis (NMR, MS) identified a family of related molecules within this extract with unique structural features, a subset of which reduced LD formation. We selected one of these molecules, heterofibrin A1, for more detailed cellular analysis. Inhibition of LD biogenesis by heterofibrin A1 was observed in both A431 cells and AML12 hepatocytes. The activity of heterofibrin A1 was dose dependent with 20 µM inhibiting LD formation and triglyceride accumulation by ∼50% in the presence of 50 µM oleic acid. Using a fluorescent fatty acid analogue we found that heterofibrin A1 significantly reduces the intracellular accumulation of fatty acids and results in the formation of distinct fatty acid metabolites in both cultured cells and in embryos of the zebrafish Danio rerio. In summary we have shown using readily accessible software and a relatively simple assay system that we can identify and isolate bioactive molecules from marine extracts, which affect the formation of LDs and the metabolism of fatty acids both in vitro and in vivo.

Lipid droplets (LDs) are dynamic cellular organelles that control many biological processes. However, molecular components determining LD growth are poorly understood. Genetic analysis has indicated that Fsp27, an LD-associated protein, is important in controlling LD size and lipid storage in adipocytes. In this paper, we demonstrate that Fsp27 is focally enriched at the LD-LD contacting site (LDCS). Photobleaching revealed the occurrence of lipid exchange between contacted LDs in wild-type adipocytes and Fsp27-overexpressing cells but not Fsp27-deficient adipocytes. Furthermore, live-cell imaging revealed a unique Fsp27-mediated LD growth process involving a directional net lipid transfer from the smaller to larger LDs at LDCSs, which is in accordance with the biophysical analysis of the internal pressure difference between the contacting LD pair. Thus, we have uncovered a novel molecular mechanism of LD growth mediated by Fsp27.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a single-stranded RNA virus that replicates on endoplasmic reticulum-derived membranes. HCV particle assembly is dependent on the association of core protein with cellular lipid droplets (LDs). However, it remains uncertain whether HCV assembly occurs at the LD membrane itself or at closely associated ER membranes. Furthermore, it is not known how the HCV replication complex and progeny genomes physically associate with the presumed sites of virion assembly at or near LDs. Using an unbiased proteomic strategy, we have found that Rab18 interacts with the HCV nonstructural protein NS5A. Rab18 associates with LDs and is believed to promote physical interaction between LDs and ER membranes. Active (GTP-bound) forms of Rab18 bind more strongly to NS5A than a constitutively GDP-bound mutant. NS5A colocalizes with Rab18-positive LDs in HCV-infected cells, and Rab18 appears to promote the physical association of NS5A and other replicase components with LDs. Modulation of Rab18 affects genome replication and possibly also the production of infectious virions. Our results support a model in which specific interactions between viral and cellular proteins may promote the physical interaction between membranous HCV replication foci and lipid droplets.

Dynamin GTPase activity increases when it oligomerizes either into helices in the presence of lipid templates or into rings in the presence of SH3 domain proteins. Dynasore is a dynamin inhibitor of moderate potency (IC₅₀ ~ 15 μM in vitro). We show that dynasore binds stoichiometrically to detergents used for in vitro drug screening, drastically reducing its potency (IC₅₀ = 479 μM) and research tool utility. We synthesized a focused set of dihydroxyl and trihydroxyl dynasore analogs called the Dyngo™ compounds, five of which had improved potency, reduced detergent binding and reduced cytotoxicity, conferred by changes in the position and/or number of hydroxyl substituents. The Dyngo compound 4a was the most potent compound, exhibiting a 37-fold improvement in potency over dynasore for liposome-stimulated helical dynamin activity. In contrast, while dynasore about equally inhibited dynamin assembled in its helical or ring states, 4a and 6a exhibited >36-fold reduced activity against rings, suggesting that they can discriminate between helical or ring oligomerization states. 4a and 6a inhibited dynamin-dependent endocytosis of transferrin in multiple cell types (IC₅₀ of 5.7 and 5.8 μM, respectively), at least sixfold more potently than dynasore, but had no effect on dynamin-independent endocytosis of cholera toxin. 4a also reduced synaptic vesicle endocytosis and activity-dependent bulk endocytosis in cultured neurons and synaptosomes. Overall, 4a and 6a are improved and versatile helical dynamin and endocytosis inhibitors in terms of potency, non-specific binding and cytotoxicity. The data further suggest that the ring oligomerization state of dynamin is not required for clathrin-mediated endocytosis.

Lipid droplets (LDs) are dynamic organelles that collect, store, and supply lipids [1]. LDs have a central role in the exchange of lipids occurring between the cell and the environment and provide cells with substrates for energy metabolism, membrane synthesis, and production of lipid-derived molecules such as lipoproteins or hormones. However, lipid-derived metabolites also cause progressive lipotoxicity [2], accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), endoplasmic reticulum stress, mitochondrial malfunctioning, and cell death [2]. Intracellular accumulation of LDs is a hallmark of prevalent human diseases, including obesity, steatosis, diabetes, myopathies, and arteriosclerosis [3]. Indeed, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is the most common cause of abnormal hepatic function among adults [4, 5]. Lipotoxicity gradually promotes cellular ballooning and disarray, megamitochondria, accumulation of Mallory's hyaline in hepatocytes, and inflammation, fibrosis, and cirrhosis in the liver. Here, using confocal microscopy, serial-block-face scanning electron microscopy, and flow cytometry, we show that LD accumulation is heterogeneous within a cell population and follows a positive skewed distribution. Lipid availability and fluctuations in biochemical networks controlling lipolysis, fatty acid oxidation, and protein synthesis contribute to cell-to-cell heterogeneity. Critically, this reversible variability generates a subpopulation of cells that effectively collect and store lipids. This high-lipid subpopulation accumulates more LDs and more ROS and reduces the risk of lipotoxicity to the population without impairing overall lipid homeostasis, since high-lipid cells can supply stored lipids to the other cells. In conclusion, we demonstrate fat storage compartmentalization within a cell population and propose that this is a protective social organization to reduce lipotoxicity.

In this paper, we investigated the role of sorting nexin 12 (SNX12) in the endocytic pathway. SNX12 is a member of the PX domain-containing sorting nexin family and shares high homology with SNX3, which plays a central role in the formation of intralumenal vesicles within multivesicular endosomes. We found that SNX12 is expressed at very low levels compared to SNX3. SNX12 is primarily associated with early endosomes and this endosomal localization depends on the binding to 3-phosphoinositides. We find that overexpression of SNX12 prevents the detachment (or maturation) of multivesicular endosomes from early endosomes. This in turn inhibits the degradative pathway from early to late endosomes/lysosomes, much like SNX3 overexpression, without affecting endocytosis, recycling and retrograde transport. In addition, while previous studies showed that Hrs knockdown prevents EGF receptor sorting into multivesicular endosomes, we find that overexpression of SNX12 restores the sorting process in an Hrs knockdown background. Altogether, our data show that despite lower expression level, SNX12 shares redundant functions with SNX3 in the biogenesis of multivesicular endosomes.

The protective antigen (PA) of anthrax toxin binds to a cell surface receptor, undergoes heptamerization, and binds the enzymatic subunits, the lethal factor (LF) and the edema factor (EF). The resulting complex is then endocytosed. Via mechanisms that depend on the vacuolar ATPase and require membrane insertion of PA, LF and EF are ultimately delivered to the cytoplasm where their targets reside. Here, we show that membrane insertion of PA already occurs in early endosomes, possibly only in the multivesicular regions, but that subsequent delivery of LF to the cytoplasm occurs preferentially later in the endocytic pathway and relies on the dynamics of internal vesicles of multivesicular late endosomes.

The muscle isoform of clathrin heavy chain, CHC22, has 85% sequence identity to the ubiquitously expressed CHC17, yet its expression pattern and function appear to be distinct from those of well-characterized clathrin-coated vesicles. In mature muscle CHC22 is preferentially concentrated at neuromuscular and myotendinous junctions, suggesting a role at sarcolemmal contacts with extracellular matrix. During myoblast differentiation, CHC22 expression is increased, initially localized with desmin and nestin and then preferentially segregated to the poles of fused myoblasts. CHC22 expression is also increased in regenerating muscle fibers with the same time course as embryonic myosin, indicating a role in muscle repair. CHC22 binds to sorting nexin 5 through a coiled-coil domain present in both partners, which is absent in CHC17 and coincides with the region on CHC17 that binds the regulatory light-chain subunit. These differential binding data suggest a mechanism for the distinct functions of CHC22 relative to CHC17 in membrane traffic during muscle development, repair, and at neuromuscular and myotendinous junctions.

Most cells acquire cholesterol by endocytosis of circulating low-density lipoproteins (LDLs). After cholesteryl ester de-esterification in endosomes, free cholesterol is redistributed to intracellular membranes via unclear mechanisms. Our previous work suggested that the unconventional phospholipid lysobisphosphatidic acid (LBPA) may play a role in modulating the cholesterol flux through endosomes. In this study, we used the Prestwick library of FDA-approved compounds in a high-content, image-based screen of the endosomal lipids, lysobisphosphatidic acid and LDL-derived cholesterol. We report that thioperamide maleate, an inverse agonist of the histamine H3 receptor HRH3, increases highly selectively the levels of lysobisphosphatidic acid, without affecting any endosomal protein or function that we tested. Our data also show that thioperamide significantly reduces the endosome cholesterol overload in fibroblasts from patients with the cholesterol storage disorder Niemann-Pick type C (NPC), as well as in liver of Npc1-/- mice. We conclude that LBPA controls endosomal cholesterol mobilization and export to cellular destinations, perhaps by fluidifying or buffering cholesterol in endosomal membranes, and that thioperamide has repurposing potential for the treatment of NPC.

Caveolae are spherically shaped nanodomains of the plasma membrane, generated by cooperative assembly of caveolin and cavin proteins. Cavins are cytosolic peripheral membrane proteins with negatively charged intrinsically disordered regions that flank positively charged α-helical regions. Here, we show that the three disordered domains of Cavin1 are essential for caveola formation and dynamic trafficking of caveolae. Electrostatic interactions between disordered regions and α-helical regions promote liquid-liquid phase separation behaviour of Cavin1 in vitro, assembly of Cavin1 oligomers in solution, generation of membrane curvature, association with caveolin-1, and Cavin1 recruitment to caveolae in cells. Removal of the first disordered region causes irreversible gel formation in vitro and results in aberrant caveola trafficking through the endosomal system. We propose a model for caveola assembly whereby fuzzy electrostatic interactions between Cavin1 and caveolin-1 proteins, combined with membrane lipid interactions, are required to generate membrane curvature and a metastable caveola coat.

The retromer complex (Vps35-Vps26-Vps29) is essential for endosomal membrane trafficking and signaling. Mutation of the retromer subunit Vps35 causes late-onset Parkinson’s disease, while viral and bacterial pathogens can hijack the complex during cellular infection. To modulate and probe its function, we have created a novel series of macrocyclic peptides that bind retromer with high affinity and specificity. Crystal structures show that most of the cyclic peptides bind to Vps29 via a Pro-Leu–containing sequence, structurally mimicking known interactors such as TBC1D5 and blocking their interaction with retromer in vitro and in cells. By contrast, macrocyclic peptide RT-L4 binds retromer at the Vps35-Vps26 interface and is a more effective molecular chaperone than reported small molecules, suggesting a new therapeutic avenue for targeting retromer. Last, tagged peptides can be used to probe the cellular localization of retromer and its functional interactions in cells, providing novel tools for studying retromer function.

Caveolae are small membrane invaginations that generally are stably attached to the plasma membrane. Their release is believed to depend on the GTPase dynamin 2 (Dyn2), in analogy with its role in fission of clathrin-coated vesicles. The mechanistic understanding of caveola fission is, however, sparse. Here, we used microscopy-based tracking of individual caveolae in living cells to determine the role of Dyn2 in caveola dynamics. We report that Dyn2 stably associated with the bulb of a subset of caveolae, but was not required for formation or fission of caveolae. Dyn2-positive caveolae displayed longer plasma membrane duration times, whereas depletion of Dyn2 resulted in shorter duration times and increased caveola fission. The stabilizing role of Dyn2 was independent of its GTPase activity and the caveola stabilizing protein EHD2. Thus, we propose that, in contrast to the current view, Dyn2 is not a core component of the caveolae machinery, but rather functions as an accessory protein that restrains caveola internalization.

Adipose tissue plays a major role in regulating whole-body insulin sensitivity and energy metabolism. To accommodate surplus energy, the tissue rapidly expands by increasing adipose cell size (hypertrophy) and cell number (hyperplasia). Previous studies have shown that enlarged, hypertrophic adipocytes are less responsive to insulin, and that adipocyte size could serve as a predictor for the development of type 2 diabetes. In the present study, we demonstrate that changes in adipocyte size correlate with a drastic remodeling of the actin cytoskeleton. Expansion of primary adipocytes following 2 weeks of high-fat diet (HFD)-feeding in C57BL6/J mice was associated with a drastic increase in filamentous (F)-actin as assessed by fluorescence microscopy, increased Rho-kinase activity, and changed expression of actin-regulating proteins, favoring actin polymerization. At the same time, increased cell size was associated with impaired insulin response, while the interaction between the cytoskeletal scaffolding protein IQGAP1 and insulin receptor substrate (IRS)-1 remained intact. Reversed feeding from HFD to chow restored cell size, insulin response, expression of actin-regulatory proteins and decreased the amount of F-actin filaments. Together, we report a drastic cytoskeletal remodeling during adipocyte expansion, a process which could contribute to deteriorating adipocyte function.