Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 31, 2026

Live Cell Imaging of Early Autophagy Events: Omegasomes and Beyond
09:00

Live Cell Imaging of Early Autophagy Events: Omegasomes and Beyond

Published on: July 27, 2013

19.2K

Complement C3 and Autophagy Keep the β Cell Alive

Miriam Toledo1, Rajat Singh2

  • 1Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA; Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA.

Cell Metabolism
|January 10, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Autophagy protects pancreatic beta cells from death during obesity. A new study shows intracellular complement component C3 interacts with autophagy protein ATG16L1, stimulating autophagy and preventing beta cell death.

Area of Science:

  • Endocrinology
  • Cell Biology
  • Immunology

Background:

  • Obesity is linked to pancreatic beta cell death.
  • The precise mechanisms activating autophagy in beta cells remain unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the mechanism of autophagy activation in pancreatic beta cells.
  • To identify factors protecting beta cells from death during obesity.

Main Methods:

  • Investigated the interaction between intracellular complement component C3 and autophagy proteins.
  • Assessed the role of this interaction in regulating autophagy and beta cell survival.

Main Results:

  • Intracellular complement component C3 was found to interact with autophagy protein ATG16L1.
  • This interaction stimulates autophagy, thereby protecting pancreatic beta cells from death.

Conclusions:

  • Intracellular complement component C3 is a key mediator in activating autophagy in pancreatic beta cells.
  • Targeting this pathway could offer a novel strategy for preventing obesity-induced beta cell failure.

More Related Videos

Methods for Quantitative Detection of Antibody-induced Complement Activation on Red Blood Cells06:29

Methods for Quantitative Detection of Antibody-induced Complement Activation on Red Blood Cells

Published on: January 29, 2014

31.2K
Activating Autophagy by Aerobic Exercise in Mice08:44

Activating Autophagy by Aerobic Exercise in Mice

Published on: February 3, 2017

12.7K

Related Concept Videos

Autophagy01:27

Autophagy

Autophagy is a self-digesting process by which a cell protects itself from threats both within and outside the cell, ranging from abnormal proteins to invading bacteria. In this process, obsolete components of the cell and invading microbes are degraded by hydrolytic enzymes active in an acidic environment of the lysosomal lumen.
An autophagic pathway consists of a series of signaling events activated in response to diverse stress and physiological conditions such as food deprivation,...
5.8K
Complement System01:27

Complement System

The complement system is a group of approximately 20 plasma proteins that strengthen the body's defenses against infections through opsonization, inflammation, and cell lysis. Opsonization involves coating pathogens with complement proteins, making them more recognizable and facilitating phagocyte engulfment. Certain complement proteins induce inflammation that attracts immune cells to the site of infection. Cell lysis involves the destruction of pathogens through the formation of a...
10.5K
Complementation Tests00:49

Complementation Tests

A complementation test is a simple cross to identify whether the two mutations are located on the same gene or different genes. It was first performed by Edward Lewis in the 1940s while working on fruit flies. He developed the test to identify the location and arrangement of different mutations on chromosomes.
Organisms heterozygous for different mutations are crossed pairwise in all combinations. If present on different genes, the mutations can complement each other by providing the missing...
6.2K
TGF - β Signaling Pathway01:16

TGF - β Signaling Pathway

The TGF-β signaling pathway regulates cell growth, differentiation, adhesion, motility, and development. TGF-β ligands that induce TGF-β signaling are synthesized in their latent form. Several proteases or cell surface receptors such as integrins act upon the latent form, releasing the active ligand. There are three types of mammalian TGF-βs: (TGF-β1, TGF-β2, and TGF-β3) that bind as homodimers or heterodimers to TGF-β receptors. The TGF-β receptors...
10.5K
Adrenergic Receptors: β Subtype01:26

Adrenergic Receptors: β Subtype

β-adrenoceptors have varied sensitivities towards adrenaline, noradrenaline, and isoprenaline. The order of agonist potency is as follows:
Isoprenaline > Adrenaline > Noradrenaline
Neurotransmitter binding to these receptors causes activation of adenylyl cyclase resulting in increased concentrations of cAMP and modulation of calcium ion channels within the cell. They are further classified into β1, β2, and β3 subtypes.
β1-adrenoceptors: β1-adrenoceptors...
3.8K
Antianginal Drugs: Nitrates and β-Blockers01:16

Antianginal Drugs: Nitrates and β-Blockers

In cardiovascular health, antianginal drugs combat angina pectoris — a condition marked by chest pain owing to diminished blood flow to the heart.
Organic nitrates,  such as nitroglycerin, play a pivotal role. Once metabolized, they liberate nitric oxide, a molecular marvel. Nitric oxide triggers guanylyl cyclase and augments cGMP production. This biochemical cascade orchestrates the relaxation of vascular smooth muscles, ushering in vasodilation and enhancing coronary blood flow....
1.6K