Facilitation of Autophagosome-Lysosome Fusion by LAPTM4A: A Novel Strategy for Attenuating Myocardial Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury

S Siyi Zhou J Jiayi Liu M Manli Hu (State Key Laboratory of New Targets Discovery and Drug Development for Major Diseases, Gannan Innovation and Translational Medicine Research Institute, School of Pharmacy, First Affiliated Hospital, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, China (S.Z., M.H., S.T., J.Z., H.C., S.W., X. Zhou, X.C., Y.H., Z.S., L.B., H.Y., H. Liu, J. Wan, X.-J.Z., J.C., Z.-G.S., X. Zhang, H. Li).) S Song Tian J Junjie Zhou W Wei Li H Hailian Chen M Maoji Yin (Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital, Wuhan University, China (J.L., W.L., M.Y., L.L., L.Z., Z.-G.S.).) S Shiyi Wang L Lei Luo (State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongshan Road 457, Dalian 116023, P. R. China) L Long Zhang X Xiangqiang Zhou (State Key Laboratory of New Targets Discovery and Drug Development for Major Diseases, Gannan Innovation and Translational Medicine Research Institute, School of Pharmacy, First Affiliated Hospital, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, China (S.Z., M.H., S.T., J.Z., H.C., S.W., X. Zhou, X.C., Y.H., Z.S., L.B., H.Y., H. Liu, J. Wan, X.-J.Z., J.C., Z.-G.S., X. Zhang, H. Li).) X Xu Cheng (QTF Center of Excellence, Department of Electronics and Nanoengineering) Q Quanqing Qiu (TargetHunter PharmaTech (Jiangxi) Co, Ltd, Ganzhou, China (X.C., Q.Q., J. Wang).) J Jinsheng Wang W Weiyi Qu Y Yufeng Hu (State Key Laboratory of New Targets Discovery and Drug Development for Major Diseases, Gannan Innovation and Translational Medicine Research Institute, School of Pharmacy, First Affiliated Hospital, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, China (S.Z., M.H., S.T., J.Z., H.C., S.W., X. Zhou, X.C., Y.H., Z.S., L.B., H.Y., H. Liu, J. Wan, X.-J.Z., J.C., Z.-G.S., X. Zhang, H. Li).) P Péter Ferdinandy (Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Center for Pharmacology and Drug Development, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary (P.F.).) M Mario Chiong (Advanced Center for Chronic Diseases, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas y Farmacéuticas & Facultad Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago (M.C., M.F.T.).) M Mayarling F. Troncoso (Advanced Center for Chronic Diseases, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas y Farmacéuticas & Facultad Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago (M.C., M.F.T.).) Z Zhaoliang Shan L Lan Bai (State Key Laboratory of New Targets Discovery and Drug Development for Major Diseases, Gannan Innovation and Translational Medicine Research Institute, School of Pharmacy, First Affiliated Hospital, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, China (S.Z., M.H., S.T., J.Z., H.C., S.W., X. Zhou, X.C., Y.H., Z.S., L.B., H.Y., H. Liu, J. Wan, X.-J.Z., J.C., Z.-G.S., X. Zhang, H. Li).) H Hailong Yang H Hui Liu J Juan Wan X Xiao-Jing Zhang J Jingjing Cai Z Zhi-Gang She X Xin Zhang H Hongliang Li (Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale)

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (MIR) injury compromises therapeutic effects of revascularization and leads to functional impairment and exacerbation of structural damage in the heart. Limiting the damage caused by MIR is crucial but is still an unmet clinical need because of the complexity of the underlying mechanisms. Increasing evidence suggests that lysosomal autophagy plays a significant regulatory role in MIR injury. The specific mechanisms involved remain to be fully understood. METHODS: We here systematically analyzed the murine MIR model database to screen the potentially protective lysosome-localized proteins against MIR injury. The positive hits were further functionally screened and validated for their capability on autophagy and hypoxia/reoxygenation insults of cardiomyocytes. After exploring the detailed molecular mechanism underlying the protective effects of the target protein, we generated target gene cardiac-specific knockout mice and overexpression mice to verify its function in mouse MIR injury models. RESULTS: LAPTM4A (lysosome-associated protein transmembrane 4 alpha) stood out as a significant protective lysosome-localized protein from the screening. LAPTM4A deficiency significantly heightened the inflammatory response and cell death both in primary cardiomyocytes and in a MIR-induced mouse model. Conversely, LAPTM4A overexpression exerted protective effects on cell viability and myocardial damage. Mechanistically, LAPTM4A interacts with Rubicon (Run domain Beclin1-interacting and cysteine-rich domain–containing protein), hindering its engagement within the Beclin1 complex, resulting in a robust augmentation of autophagic flux and thereby mitigating cardiac damage during reperfusion. It is important to note that Rubicon knockdown markedly reversed the aggravated injury induced by LAPTM4A knockdown, further verifying the effects of LAPTM4A depend on Rubicon. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings screened out and validated that LAPTM4A is a lysosome-localized protein exerting protective effects against MIR injury by facilitating autophagic flux. Targeting LAPTM4A represents a promising therapeutic strategy for mitigating MIR injury.

Article Details

Journal Circulation
Volume / Issue Vol. 1, Issue 1
Published August 04, 2026
ISSN 0009-7322
Publisher Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Journal Info

Circulation

Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

ISSN: 0009-7322 Health Sciences

Authors (30)

S

Siyi Zhou

J

Jiayi Liu

M

Manli Hu

State Key Laboratory of New Targets Discovery and Drug Development for Major Diseases, Gannan Innovation and Translational Medicine Research Institute, School of Pharmacy, First Affiliated Hospital, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, China (S.Z., M.H., S.T., J.Z., H.C., S.W., X. Zhou, X.C., Y.H., Z.S., L.B., H.Y., H. Liu, J. Wan, X.-J.Z., J.C., Z.-G.S., X. Zhang, H. Li).

S

Song Tian

J

Junjie Zhou

W

Wei Li

H

Hailian Chen

M

Maoji Yin

Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital, Wuhan University, China (J.L., W.L., M.Y., L.L., L.Z., Z.-G.S.).

S

Shiyi Wang

L

Lei Luo

State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongshan Road 457, Dalian 116023, P. R. China

L

Long Zhang

X

Xiangqiang Zhou

State Key Laboratory of New Targets Discovery and Drug Development for Major Diseases, Gannan Innovation and Translational Medicine Research Institute, School of Pharmacy, First Affiliated Hospital, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, China (S.Z., M.H., S.T., J.Z., H.C., S.W., X. Zhou, X.C., Y.H., Z.S., L.B., H.Y., H. Liu, J. Wan, X.-J.Z., J.C., Z.-G.S., X. Zhang, H. Li).

X

Xu Cheng

QTF Center of Excellence, Department of Electronics and Nanoengineering

Q

Quanqing Qiu

TargetHunter PharmaTech (Jiangxi) Co, Ltd, Ganzhou, China (X.C., Q.Q., J. Wang).

J

Jinsheng Wang

W

Weiyi Qu

Y

Yufeng Hu

State Key Laboratory of New Targets Discovery and Drug Development for Major Diseases, Gannan Innovation and Translational Medicine Research Institute, School of Pharmacy, First Affiliated Hospital, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, China (S.Z., M.H., S.T., J.Z., H.C., S.W., X. Zhou, X.C., Y.H., Z.S., L.B., H.Y., H. Liu, J. Wan, X.-J.Z., J.C., Z.-G.S., X. Zhang, H. Li).

P

Péter Ferdinandy

Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Center for Pharmacology and Drug Development, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary (P.F.).

M

Mario Chiong

Advanced Center for Chronic Diseases, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas y Farmacéuticas & Facultad Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago (M.C., M.F.T.).

M

Mayarling F. Troncoso

Advanced Center for Chronic Diseases, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas y Farmacéuticas & Facultad Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago (M.C., M.F.T.).

Z

Zhaoliang Shan

L

Lan Bai

State Key Laboratory of New Targets Discovery and Drug Development for Major Diseases, Gannan Innovation and Translational Medicine Research Institute, School of Pharmacy, First Affiliated Hospital, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, China (S.Z., M.H., S.T., J.Z., H.C., S.W., X. Zhou, X.C., Y.H., Z.S., L.B., H.Y., H. Liu, J. Wan, X.-J.Z., J.C., Z.-G.S., X. Zhang, H. Li).

H

Hailong Yang

H

Hui Liu

J

Juan Wan

X

Xiao-Jing Zhang

J

Jingjing Cai

Z

Zhi-Gang She

X

Xin Zhang

H

Hongliang Li

Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale