Browsing by Author "Venegas-Zamora, Leslye"

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    mTOR inhibition triggers mitochondrial fragmentation in cardiomyocytes through proteosome-dependent prohibitin degradation and OPA-1 cleavage
    (Springer Nature, 2025) Verdejo Pinochet, Hugo; Parra, Valentina; Campo Sfeir, Andrea del; Vasquez-Trincado, Cesar; Gatica, Damian; Lopez-Crisosto, Camila; Kuzmicic Previtali, Jovan Paolo; Venegas-Zamora, Leslye; Zuñiga-Cuevas, Ursula; Troncoso, Mayarling F.; Troncoso, Rodrigo; Rothermel, Beverly A.; Chiong L., Mario; Abel, E. D.; Lavandero, Sergio
    Introduction Cardiac mitochondrial function is intricately regulated by various processes, ultimately impacting metabolic performance. Additionally, protein turnover is crucial for sustained metabolic homeostasis in cardiomyocytes. Objective Here, we studied the role of mTOR in OPA-1 cleavage and its consequent effects on mitochondrial dynamics and energetics in cardiomyocytes. Results Cultured rat cardiomyocytes treated with rapamycin for 6–24 h showed a significant reduction in phosphorylation of p70S6K, indicative of sustained inhibition of mTOR. Structural and functional analysis revealed increased mitochondrial fragmentation and impaired bioenergetics characterized by decreases in ROS production, oxygen consumption, and cellular ATP. Depletion of either the mitochondrial protease OMA1 or the mTOR regulator TSC2 by siRNA, coupled with an inducible, cardiomyocyte-specific knockout of mTOR in vivo, suggested that inhibition of mTOR promotes mitochondrial fragmentation through a mechanism involving OMA1 processing of OPA-1. Under homeostatic conditions, OMA1 activity is kept under check through an interaction with microdomains in the inner mitochondrial membrane that requires prohibitin proteins (PHB). Loss of these microdomains releases OMA1 to cleave its substrates. We found that rapamycin both increased ubiquitination of PHB1 and decreased its abundance, suggesting proteasomal degradation. Consistent with this, the proteasome inhibitor MG-132 maintained OPA-1 content in rapamycin-treated cardiomyocytes. Using pharmacological activation and inhibition of AMPK our data supports the hypothesis that this mTOR-PHB1-OMA-OPA-1 pathway impacts mitochondrial morphology under stress conditions, where it mediates dynamic changes in metabolic status. Conclusions These data suggest that mTOR inhibition disrupts mitochondrial integrity in cardiomyocytes by promoting the degradation of prohibitins and OPA-1, leading to mitochondrial fragmentation and metabolic dysfunction, particularly under conditions of metabolic stress.
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    Palmitic acid control of ciliogenesis modulates insulin signaling in hypothalamic neurons through an autophagy-dependent mechanism
    (SPRINGERNATURE, 2022) Avalos, Yenniffer; Paz Hernandez-Caceres, Maria; Lagos, Pablo; Pinto-Nunez, Daniela; Rivera, Patricia; Burgos, Paulina; Diaz-Castro, Francisco; Joy-Immediato, Michelle; Venegas-Zamora, Leslye; Lopez-Gallardo, Erik; Kretschmar, Catalina; Batista-Gonzalez, Ana; Cifuentes-Araneda, Flavia; Toledo-Valenzuela, Lilian; Rodriguez-Pena, Marcelo; Espinoza-Caicedo, Jasson; Perez-Leighton, Claudio; Bertocchi, Cristina; Cerda, Mauricio; Troncoso, Rodrigo; Parra, Valentina; Budini, Mauricio; Burgos, Patricia, V; Criollo, Alfredo; Morselli, Eugenia
    Palmitic acid (PA) is significantly increased in the hypothalamus of mice, when fed chronically with a high-fat diet (HFD). PA impairs insulin signaling in hypothalamic neurons, by a mechanism dependent on autophagy, a process of lysosomal-mediated degradation of cytoplasmic material. In addition, previous work shows a crosstalk between autophagy and the primary cilium (hereafter cilium), an antenna-like structure on the cell surface that acts as a signaling platform for the cell. Ciliopathies, human diseases characterized by cilia dysfunction, manifest, type 2 diabetes, among other features, suggesting a role of the cilium in insulin signaling. Cilium depletion in hypothalamic pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons triggers obesity and insulin resistance in mice, the same phenotype as mice deficient in autophagy in POMC neurons. Here we investigated the effect of chronic consumption of HFD on cilia; and our results indicate that chronic feeding with HFD reduces the percentage of cilia in hypothalamic POMC neurons. This effect may be due to an increased amount of PA, as treatment with this saturated fatty acid in vitro reduces the percentage of ciliated cells and cilia length in hypothalamic neurons. Importantly, the same effect of cilia depletion was obtained following chemical and genetic inhibition of autophagy, indicating autophagy is required for ciliogenesis. We further demonstrate a role for the cilium in insulin sensitivity, as cilium loss in hypothalamic neuronal cells disrupts insulin signaling and insulin-dependent glucose uptake, an effect that correlates with the ciliary localization of the insulin receptor (IR). Consistently, increased percentage of ciliated hypothalamic neuronal cells promotes insulin signaling, even when cells are exposed to PA. Altogether, our results indicate that, in hypothalamic neurons, impairment of autophagy, either by PA exposure, chemical or genetic manipulation, cause cilia loss that impairs insulin sensitivity.