AKT2-mediated lysosomal dysfunction promotes secretory autophagy in retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells
Year: 2024
Type: editorial
Abstract: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness in the elderly, with the non-neovascular or atrophic form being the most common. Current treatment options are limited, emphasizing the urgent need for new therapeutic strategies. Our key finding is that increased levels of AKT2 in the RPE cells impair lysosomal function and trigger secretory autophagy; a non-canonical macroautophagy/autophagy pathway where cellular materials are released via the plasma membrane rather than being degraded by lysosomes. We showed that this process involves a protein complex, AKT2-SYTL1-TRIM16-SNAP23, releasing factors contributing to drusen biogenesis, a clinical hallmark of AMD development. Importantly, SIRT5 can inhibit this pathway, potentially offering a protective effect. Understanding mechanisms by which this non-canonical autophagy pathway promotes extracellular waste accumulation could provide new insights into drusen biogenesis. Future therapies for atrophic AMD could focus on regulating secretory autophagy or manipulating proteins involved in this process.
Source: Autophagy
Authors: Sayan Ghosh, Stacey Hose, Debasish Sinha
Institutions: Johns Hopkins University, Johns Hopkins Medicine
Language: English
Subfield: Epidemiology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W4403465749