Time-dependent changes in autophagy, mitophagy and lysosomes in skeletal muscle during denervation-induced disuse

Deficits in skeletal muscle mitochondrial content and quality are observed following denervation-atrophy. This is due to alterations in the biogenesis of new mitochondria as well as their degradation via mitophagy. The regulation of autophagy and mitophagy over the course of denervation (Den) remains unknown. Further, the time-dependent changes in lysosome content, the end-stage organelle for mitophagy, remain unexplored. Here, we studied autophagic as well as mitophagic pre-lysosomal flux in subsarcolemmal (SS) and intermyofibrillar (IMF) mitochondria from rat muscle subjected to Den for 1, 3 or 7 days. We also assessed flux at 1 day post-denervation in transgenic mt-keima mice. Markers of mitochondrial content were reduced at 7 days following Den, and Den further resulted in rapid decrements in mitochondrial respiration, along with increased ROS emission. Pre-lysosomal autophagy flux was upregulated at 1 and 3 days post-Den but was reduced compared to time-matched sham-operated controls at 7 days post-Den. Similarly, pre-lysosomal mitophagy flux was enhanced in SS mitochondria as early as 1 and 3 days of Den but decreased in both SS and IMF subfractions following 7 days of Den. Lysosome protein content and transcriptional regulators TFEB and TFE3 were progressively enhanced with Den, an adaptation designed to enhance autophagic capacity. However, evidence for lysosome dysfunction was apparent by 7 days, which may limit degradation capacity. This may contribute to an inability to clear dysfunctional mitochondria and increased ROS signalling, thereby accelerating muscle atrophy. Thus, therapeutic targeting of lysosome function may help to maintain autophagy and muscle health during conditions of muscle disuse or denervation. KEY POINTS: Denervation is an experimental model of peripheral neuropathies as well as muscle disuse, and it helps us understand some aspects of the sarcopenia of ageing. Muscle disuse is associated with reduced mitochondrial content and function, leading to metabolic impairments within the tissue. Although the processes that regulate mitochondrial biogenesis are understood, those that govern mitochondrial breakdown (i.e. mitophagy) are not well characterized in this context. Autophagy and mitophagy flux, measured up to the point of the lysosome (pre-lysosomal flux rates), were increased in the early stages of denervation, along with mitochondrial dysfunction, but were reduced at later time points when the degree of muscle atrophy was highest. Denervation led to progressive increases in lysosomal proteins to accommodate mitophagy flux, yet evidence for lysosomal impairment at later stages may limit the removal of dysfunctional mitochondria, stimulate reactive oxygen species signalling, and reduce muscle health as denervation time progresses.