FLCN Maintains the Leucine Level in Lysosome to Stimulate mTORC1

PLoS One. 2016 Jun 9;11(6):e0157100. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0157100. eCollection 2016.

Abstract

The intracellular amino acid pool within lysosome is a signal that stimulates the nutrient-sensing mTORC1 signalling pathway. The signal transduction cascade has garnered much attention, but little is known about the sequestration of the signalling molecules within the lysosome. Using human HEK293 cells as a model, we found that suppression of the BHD syndrome gene FLCN reduced the leucine level in lysosome, which correlated with decreased mTORC1 activity. Both consequences could be reversed by supplementation with high levels of leucine, but not other tested amino acids. Conversely, overexpressed FLCN could sequester lysosomal leucine and stimulate mTORC1 in an amino acid limitation environment. These results identify a novel function of FLCN: it controls mTORC1 by modulating the leucine signal in lysosome. Furthermore, we provided evidence that FLCN exerted this role by inhibiting the accumulation of the amino acid transporter PAT1 on the lysosome surface, thereby maintaining the signal level within the organelle.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Drosophila melanogaster / growth & development*
  • Drosophila melanogaster / metabolism
  • Female
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Humans
  • Leucine / metabolism*
  • Lysosomes / metabolism*
  • Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 1
  • Multiprotein Complexes / metabolism*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins / metabolism*
  • Signal Transduction
  • TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases / metabolism*
  • Tumor Suppressor Proteins / metabolism*

Substances

  • FLCN protein, human
  • Multiprotein Complexes
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins
  • Tumor Suppressor Proteins
  • Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 1
  • TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases
  • Leucine

Grants and funding

This work was supported in whole or part by a NWAF grant [http://www.nwsuaf.edu.cn/ (Z111021005) and a National Natural Science Foundation of China [http://www.nsfc.gov.cn/] (31372256) to WL. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.