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. 2016 Sep;57(9):1619–1635. doi: 10.1194/jlr.R067520

TABLE 2.

Changes in lysosomal function associated with lipid overload

Study Model Effect on Lysosomes Effect on Autophagy Observation (Reference)
Mouse models of LSD (e.g., NPC1, MSD, and MPSIIIA) Defective endocytic transport Suppressed turnover due to defective autophagosome- lysosome fusion Accumulation of unesterified cholesterol, phospholipids, glycolipids, sphingomyelin (115117), dysfunctional mitochondria and polyubiquitinated proteins (123)
Reduced expression or activity of lysosomal hydrolases
Abnormal lysosomal pH Aberrant sequestration of SNARE complex and accumulation of autophagic cargo (121, 125)
Enlarged lysosomal vesicles
Mouse models of diet-induced obesity and metabolic syndrome Deficiency in Rab7 protein level Suppressed autophagic flux linked to Rab7- or ER stress-dependent defects in autolysosome formation Reduced Rab7 expression in the heart (85)
Enlarged lysosomal vesicles Induced ER stress in liver (85, 156)
Accumulation of phospholipids, ubiquitinin, and p62-positive protein aggregates in lysosomes in kidney and liver (128, 156)
Mouse models of diet-induced LMP Bax-induced permeabilization of lysosomal membrane Suppressed autophagy due to lack of intact, functional lysosomes Cytosolic cathepsin-induced apoptotic cell death (130, 136)
Release of cathepsin B, D and K into cytosol Cathepsin-induced mitochondrial membrane permeabilization and apoptotic cell death (136)
Lipotoxic liver injury in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (136)
Cardiac hypertrophy and contractile dysfunction (85, 86)
Impaired cholesterol efflux in macrophages (137)
Cell culture model of lipid-induced oxidative stress and lipotoxicity Increased lysosomal pH Suppressed due to inhibition of autophagosome turnover Increased Nox2-derived superoxide production, s-nitrosylation of lysosomal v-ATPase, accumulation of defective autolysosomes (89)
Reduced lysosomal cathepsin activity
Oxidative posttranslational modification of lysosomal v-ATPase
Decreased lysosomal acidification Suppressed due to reduced lysosomal acidification and hydrolase activity caused by low cellular ATP levels Accumulation of autophagosomes and autophagic cargo, reduced mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation and ATP production, and β-cell dysfunction marked by defective insulin secretion and increase cell death (64)
Reduced cathepsin L activity
Bax-induced LMP Unknown Upregulation of ceramide and caspase dependent LMP and apoptotic cell death (130)