The protease MALT1, known to play a role in mammalian immune responses, inhibits autophagy in the intestine of the nematode C. elegans
The protease MALT1, known to play a role in mammalian immune responses, inhibits autophagy in the intestine of the nematode C. elegans
In a new study published in Autophagy Reports, Julie Vérièpe and colleagues from the lab of Margot Thome-Miazza report that an evolutionarily conserved homolog of the mammalian protease MALT1 has an unexpected role in inhibiting autophagy in the intestine of C. elegans. The researchers noticed that nematodes lacking MALT-1 or expressing a catalytically inactive version of MALT-1, have longer lifespans, especially under conditions of starvation. Starved animals lacking MALT-1 showed elevated autophagy, a process that mediates breakdown and recycling of damaged or superfluous cellular components when external nutrients are lacking. The life-prolonging effect of MALT-1-deficiency was abolished upon genetic silencing of key autophagy genes. These results suggest a surprising, ancient function for MALT-1 in regulating intestinal autophagy and longevity.
Picture: Model for the inhibitory role of MALT-1 in the initiation of autophagy. Other C. elegans proteins that promote or inhibit individual steps of autophagy are annotated.
Lien vers la publication: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/27694127.2023.2277584