TMEPAI increases lysosome stability and promotes autophagy

Int J Biochem Cell Biol. 2016 Jul:76:98-106. doi: 10.1016/j.biocel.2016.05.004. Epub 2016 May 6.

Abstract

Autophagy is emerging as a critical response of normal and cancer cells to environmental changes and plays an important role in cell metabolism and maintenance of damaged organelles. Transmembrane prostate androgen-induced protein (TMEPAI) is a pro-tumorigenic factor with high expression in tumor cells. In this study, we showed that depletion of TMEPAI leads to lysosomal labilization and inhibits autophagy. Further study showed that the inhibition of autophagy induced by the depletion of TMEPAI is involved in regulation of Beclin-1. Depletion of TMEPAI increases the sensitivity of cancer cells to chemotherapeutic drugs. Our study reveals the role of TMEPAI in promoting lysosome stability and autophagy, which might be used as a target for cancer chemotherapeutic treatment.

Keywords: Autophagy; Beclin-1; Cancer cell; Lysosome; TMEPAI.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • A549 Cells
  • Autophagy*
  • Beclin-1 / biosynthesis
  • Beclin-1 / genetics
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic*
  • Humans
  • Lysosomes / genetics
  • Lysosomes / metabolism*
  • Lysosomes / pathology
  • MCF-7 Cells
  • Male
  • Membrane Proteins / genetics
  • Membrane Proteins / metabolism*
  • Neoplasm Proteins / genetics
  • Neoplasm Proteins / metabolism*
  • Neoplasms / genetics
  • Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Neoplasms / pathology

Substances

  • Beclin-1
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Neoplasm Proteins
  • PMEPA1 protein, human