Homocysteine Suppresses Autophagy Through AMPK-mTOR-TFEB Signaling in Human THP-1 Macrophages

This study aimed to investigate the effects of Hcy on autophagy in a human acute monocytic leukemia cell line (THP-1). The Hcy-treated THP-1 cells exhibited increased levels of the autophagy substrate SQSTM1 (p62) and decreased levels of the autophagy markers LC3 II/I and Beclin-1, indicating a decrease in autophagy in vitro. Furthermore, Western blotting showed that Hcy significantly increased the levels of p-mTOR and nuclear TFEB and decreased the levels of p-AMPK and cytoplasmic TFEB. These data suggest that Hcy inhibits autophagosome formation in human THP-1 macrophages through the AMPK-mTOR-TFEB signaling pathway. Our findings provide new insights into the mechanisms of atherosclerotic diseases caused by Hcy.
Source: Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology - Category: Cardiology Tags: Original Article Source Type: research