RESUMEN
Regulatory factor X 7 (Rfx7) is an uncharacterized transcription factor belonging to a family involved in ciliogenesis and immunity. Here, we found that deletion of Rfx7 leads to a decrease in natural killer (NK) cell maintenance and immunity in vivo. Genomic approaches showed that Rfx7 coordinated a transcriptional network controlling cell metabolism. Rfx7-/- NK lymphocytes presented increased size, granularity, proliferation, and energetic state, whereas genetic reduction of mTOR activity mitigated those defects. Notably, Rfx7-deficient NK lymphocytes were rescued by interleukin 15 through engagement of the Janus kinase (Jak) pathway, thus revealing the importance of this signaling for maintenance of such spontaneously activated NK cells. Rfx7 therefore emerges as a novel transcriptional regulator of NK cell homeostasis and metabolic quiescence.
Asunto(s)
Interleucina-15/metabolismo , Células Asesinas Naturales/metabolismo , Factor Regulador X1/metabolismo , Animales , Proliferación Celular , Supervivencia Celular , Células Cultivadas , Quimera , Metabolismo Energético , Redes Reguladoras de Genes , Inmunidad Celular/genética , Inmunidad Innata/genética , Quinasas Janus/metabolismo , Células Asesinas Naturales/inmunología , Ratones , Ratones Endogámicos C57BL , Ratones Noqueados , Factor Regulador X1/genética , Transducción de Señal , Serina-Treonina Quinasas TOR/genética , Serina-Treonina Quinasas TOR/metabolismoRESUMEN
Selective autophagy underlies many of the important physiological roles that autophagy plays in multicellular organisms, but the mechanisms involved in cargo selection are poorly understood. Here we describe a molecular mechanism that can target conventional endosomes for autophagic degradation. We show that the human transmembrane protein TMEM59 contains a minimal 19-amino-acid peptide in its intracellular domain that promotes LC3 labelling and lysosomal targeting of its own endosomal compartment. Interestingly, this peptide defines a novel protein motif that mediates interaction with the WD-repeat domain of ATG16L1, thus providing a mechanistic basis for the activity. The motif is represented with the same ATG16L1-binding ability in other molecules, suggesting a more general relevance. We propose that this motif may play an important role in targeting specific membranous compartments for autophagic degradation, and therefore it may facilitate the search for adaptor proteins that promote selective autophagy by engaging ATG16L1. Endogenous TMEM59 interacts with ATG16L1 and mediates autophagy in response to Staphylococcus aureus infection.