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Late endosomes promote microglia migration via cytosolic translocation of immature protease cathD

Yi-Jun Liu1, Ting Zhang2, Daxiao Cheng2

  • 1Department of Neurobiology, NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, School of Brain Science and Brian Medicine, and the MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Research and Brain-Machine Integration, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China. duanshumin@zju.edu.cn xiaodongwang@zju.edu.cn margareth@shanghaitech.edu.cn yjliu@zju.edu.cn.

Science Advances
|December 10, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Late endosomes regulate actin cytoskeleton remodeling through the translocation of immature cathepsin D (cathD) during microglia migration. This process is crucial for maintaining cell movement and actin dynamics.

Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Cytoskeleton Dynamics
  • Organelle Biology

Background:

  • Organelle transport relies on cytoskeleton remodeling.
  • The reciprocal regulation of cytoskeletal dynamics by organelles is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of late endosomes in regulating actin cytoskeleton dynamics.
  • To identify specific molecules involved in organelle-mediated cytoskeletal remodeling during microglia migration.

Main Methods:

  • Studied microglia migration using live-cell imaging.
  • Investigated the role of cathepsin D (cathD) and its translocation.
  • Analyzed the impact of cathD manipulation on actin dynamics and cofilin activity.

Main Results:

  • Late endosomes facilitate actin remodeling via cytosolic translocation of immature cathD.
  • Translocated cathD localizes to the leading edge of lamellipodia.
  • Suppression of cathD impairs lamellipodial maintenance and balances cofilin activity, maintaining the globular-actin (G-actin) pool.

Conclusions:

  • Immature cathD, translocated from late endosomes, is a key regulator of actin cytoskeleton remodeling.
  • This unconventional role of cathD is essential for sustained microglia migration.

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