In biology, a phagolysosome, or endolysosome, is a cytoplasmic body formed by the fusion of a phagosome with a lysosome in a process that occurs during phagocytosis. Formation of phagolysosomes is essential for the intracellular destruction of microorganisms and pathogens. It takes place when the phagosome's and lysosome's membranes 'collide', at which point the lysosomal contents—including hydrolytic enzymes—are discharged into the phagosome in an explosive manner and digest the particles that the phagosome had ingested. Some products of the digestion are useful materials and are moved into the cytoplasm; others are exported by exocytosis.
Membrane fusion of the phagosome and lysosome is regulated by the Rab5 protein, [1] a G protein that allows the exchange of material between these two organelles but prevents complete fusion of their membranes. [1]
When the phagosome and lysosome interact with one another, they form a fully developed phagolysosome. A fully developed phagolysosome consists of digestive and aseptic properties. The purpose of phagolysosomes is to act as a protective barrier. It is a defense line that kills pathogenic bacteria that may have slipped through detection of the other immune system cells. The extracellular space that surrounds the lysosome is very acidic which is important for degradation because most cells cannot handle an acidic environment and will die, with an exception of a few. [2]
Phagolysosomes function by reducing the pH of their internal environment. The phagolysosome becomes increasingly acidic through the action of V-ATPase proton pumps, reaching a pH as low as 4.5-5.0. [3] This acidic environment is essential for the activation of hydrolytic enzymes and the denaturation of microbial proteins. [4] This serves as a defense mechanism against microbes and other harmful parasites and also provides a suitable medium for degradative enzyme activity. [5]
Microbes are destroyed within phagolysosomes by a combination of oxidative and non-oxidative processes. The oxidative process, also known as respiratory burst includes the "non-mitochondrial" production of reactive oxygen species. [6]
By lowering pH and concentrations of sources of carbon and nitrogen, phagolysomes inhibit growth of fungi. An example is the inhibition of hyphae in Candida albicans . [7]
In human neutrophils, the phagolysosomes destroy pathogens also by producing hypochlorous acid. [8]
Phagocytosis and phagolysosome formation can be broken down into several discrete stages, each involving specific cellular processes and molecular players:
The fate of the digested material can vary. It may be killed through apoptosis, further engulfed by macrophages, or presented to T-cells to induce an immune reaction. [4]
Interestingly, some proteins are involved in multiple stages of this process, indicating mechanistic overlap between these seemingly discrete steps. [9] The entire process is regulated by conserved proteins involved in recognizing, engulfing, and processing extracellular debris.
Research using model organisms, particularly Caenorhabditis elegans, has been instrumental in identifying the molecular players involved in these stages and ordering them into distinct pathways. [10] C. elegans offers several advantages for studying phagocytosis, including the ability to observe the process in live animals with endogenous cargos in situ. [11] The predictable timing of cell deaths and engulfment in C. elegans allows for time-lapse imaging of each step at the single-cell level. [12]
Phagolysosome resolution is the final stage in the phagocytic process, involving the breakdown of engulfed material and the recycling of phagolysosomal components. Most studies do not image the process of phagocytosis to completion, instead using lysosome fusion or acidification of the phagolysosome lumen as endpoints. [9] Additionally, this resolution stage is less well understood compared to earlier phases of phagocytosis, as it can take a significant amount of time. While engulfment and phagosome maturation can occur in minutes, degradation of phagolysosomal cargo can take hours to complete. [13]
Process of Resolution
After phagosome-lysosome fusion, the process of resolution can occur. Degradation begins with the breakdown of the cargo membrane to expose the cargo contents to lysosomal hydrolases. Lysosomal lipases are thought to target the cargo membrane while leaving the phagolysosomal membrane intact, possibly due to protection by glycosylated lysosomal membrane proteins. [14] However, the exact mechanism by which lipases distinguish between these membranes remains unclear.
Once the cargo membrane is compromised, lysosomal proteases and nucleases, such as the cathepsin protease CPL-1 and the DNase II homolog NUC-1, degrade the phagolysosomal cargo proteins and nucleic acids. [15] The resulting breakdown products, including amino acids, are then transported out of the phagolysosome by various transporters, including members of the solute carrier family like SLC-36.1 and the SLC66A1 ortholog LAAT-1. [16]
The transport of breakdown products out of the phagolysosome serves multiple cellular functions. In immune cells, this process is crucial for antigen presentation, enabling the cell to communicate information about the degraded material to other components of the immune system. [17] Additionally, the breakdown of phagolysosomal contents may contribute to cellular metabolism. The resulting molecules can serve as raw materials and energy sources for various cellular processes, potentially including the facilitation of subsequent rounds of phagocytosis. [9] This efficient recycling of engulfed material highlights the phagolysosome's role not only in cellular defense but also in nutrient acquisition and energy management.
Membrane Dynamics
Recent time-lapse studies have revealed dynamic changes in phagolysosomal membranes during resolution. Within an hour of cargo membrane breakdown, the phagolysosome begins to tubulate and release vesicles. [13] This process depends on the small GTPase ARL-8, which is associated with kinesin microtubule motor proteins. The released phagolysosomal vesicles play dual roles: they promote further degradation of cargo molecules [13] and contribute to the reformation of lysosomes by retrieving lysosomal hydrolases and membrane proteins. [16]
Signaling and Regulation
The export of degraded phagolysosomal contents, particularly amino acids, plays a crucial role in regulating phagolysosome resolution. Amino acid transport by proteins such as SLC-36.1 and subsequent amino acid sensing lead to mTOR signaling, which is necessary for phagolysosome tubulation and vesicle release. [16] However, the exact mechanism linking mTOR signaling to ARL-8-mediated tubulation is not yet fully understood. [9]
Importance for Cell Function
Phagolysosome resolution serves several important cellular functions:
Despite recent advances, many aspects of phagolysosome resolution remain to be elucidated, including the specificity of lipases in membrane breakdown, potential cytosolic repair mechanisms for the phagolysosomal membrane, and the precise regulation of ARL-8 in promoting tubulation versus whole organelle movement.
Coxiella burnetii , the causative agent of Q fever, thrives and replicates in the acidic phagolysosomes of its host cell. [18] The acidity of the phagolysosome is essential for C.burnetii to transport glucose, glutamate, and proline, as well as for its synthesis of nucleic acids and proteins. [19]
Similarly, when in its amastigote stage, Leishmania obtains all its purine sources, various vitamins, and a number of its essential amino acids from the phagolysosome of its host. Leishmania also obtain heme from the proteolysis of proteins in the host phagolysosome. [16]
Endocytosis is a cellular process in which substances are brought into the cell. The material to be internalized is surrounded by an area of cell membrane, which then buds off inside the cell to form a vesicle containing the ingested materials. Endocytosis includes pinocytosis and phagocytosis. It is a form of active transport.
A lysosome is a single membrane-bound organelle found in many animal cells. They are spherical vesicles that contain hydrolytic enzymes that digest many kinds of biomolecules. A lysosome has a specific composition, of both its membrane proteins and its lumenal proteins. The lumen's pH (~4.5–5.0) is optimal for the enzymes involved in hydrolysis, analogous to the activity of the stomach. Besides degradation of polymers, the lysosome is involved in cell processes of secretion, plasma membrane repair, apoptosis, cell signaling, and energy metabolism.
A vacuole is a membrane-bound organelle which is present in plant and fungal cells and some protist, animal, and bacterial cells. Vacuoles are essentially enclosed compartments which are filled with water containing inorganic and organic molecules including enzymes in solution, though in certain cases they may contain solids which have been engulfed. Vacuoles are formed by the fusion of multiple membrane vesicles and are effectively just larger forms of these. The organelle has no basic shape or size; its structure varies according to the requirements of the cell.
In cell biology, a vesicle is a structure within or outside a cell, consisting of liquid or cytoplasm enclosed by a lipid bilayer. Vesicles form naturally during the processes of secretion (exocytosis), uptake (endocytosis), and the transport of materials within the plasma membrane. Alternatively, they may be prepared artificially, in which case they are called liposomes. If there is only one phospholipid bilayer, the vesicles are called unilamellar liposomes; otherwise they are called multilamellar liposomes. The membrane enclosing the vesicle is also a lamellar phase, similar to that of the plasma membrane, and intracellular vesicles can fuse with the plasma membrane to release their contents outside the cell. Vesicles can also fuse with other organelles within the cell. A vesicle released from the cell is known as an extracellular vesicle.
Phagocytosis is the process by which a cell uses its plasma membrane to engulf a large particle, giving rise to an internal compartment called the phagosome. It is one type of endocytosis. A cell that performs phagocytosis is called a phagocyte.
Phagocytes are cells that protect the body by ingesting harmful foreign particles, bacteria, and dead or dying cells. Their name comes from the Greek phagein, "to eat" or "devour", and "-cyte", the suffix in biology denoting "cell", from the Greek kutos, "hollow vessel". They are essential for fighting infections and for subsequent immunity. Phagocytes are important throughout the animal kingdom and are highly developed within vertebrates. One litre of human blood contains about six billion phagocytes. They were discovered in 1882 by Ilya Ilyich Mechnikov while he was studying starfish larvae. Mechnikov was awarded the 1908 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his discovery. Phagocytes occur in many species; some amoebae behave like macrophage phagocytes, which suggests that phagocytes appeared early in the evolution of life.
Endosomes are a collection of intracellular sorting organelles in eukaryotic cells. They are parts of the endocytic membrane transport pathway originating from the trans Golgi network. Molecules or ligands internalized from the plasma membrane can follow this pathway all the way to lysosomes for degradation or can be recycled back to the cell membrane in the endocytic cycle. Molecules are also transported to endosomes from the trans Golgi network and either continue to lysosomes or recycle back to the Golgi apparatus.
Autophagy is the natural, conserved degradation of the cell that removes unnecessary or dysfunctional components through a lysosome-dependent regulated mechanism. It allows the orderly degradation and recycling of cellular components. Although initially characterized as a primordial degradation pathway induced to protect against starvation, it has become increasingly clear that autophagy also plays a major role in the homeostasis of non-starved cells. Defects in autophagy have been linked to various human diseases, including neurodegeneration and cancer, and interest in modulating autophagy as a potential treatment for these diseases has grown rapidly.
Coxiella burnetii is an obligate intracellular bacterial pathogen, and is the causative agent of Q fever. The genus Coxiella is morphologically similar to Rickettsia, but with a variety of genetic and physiological differences. C. burnetii is a small Gram-negative, coccobacillary bacterium that is highly resistant to environmental stresses such as high temperature, osmotic pressure, and ultraviolet light. These characteristics are attributed to a small cell variant form of the organism that is part of a biphasic developmental cycle, including a more metabolically and replicatively active large cell variant form. It can survive standard disinfectants, and is resistant to many other environmental changes like those presented in the phagolysosome.
Respiratory burst is the rapid release of the reactive oxygen species (ROS), superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide, from different cell types.
In cell biology, a phagosome is a vesicle formed around a particle engulfed by a phagocyte via phagocytosis. Professional phagocytes include macrophages, neutrophils, and dendritic cells (DCs).
Chédiak–Higashi syndrome (CHS) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder that arises from a mutation of a lysosomal trafficking regulator protein, which leads to a decrease in phagocytosis. The decrease in phagocytosis results in recurrent pyogenic infections, albinism, and peripheral neuropathy.
The bafilomycins are a family of macrolide antibiotics produced from a variety of Streptomycetes. Their chemical structure is defined by a 16-membered lactone ring scaffold. Bafilomycins exhibit a wide range of biological activity, including anti-tumor, anti-parasitic, immunosuppressant and anti-fungal activity. The most used bafilomycin is bafilomycin A1, a potent inhibitor of cellular autophagy. Bafilomycins have also been found to act as ionophores, transporting potassium K+ across biological membranes and leading to mitochondrial damage and cell death.
An alveolar macrophage, pulmonary macrophage, is a type of macrophage, a professional phagocyte, found in the airways and at the level of the alveoli in the lungs, but separated from their walls.
A non-specific immune cell is an immune cell that responds to many antigens, not just one antigen. Non-specific immune cells function in the first line of defense against infection or injury. The innate immune system is always present at the site of infection and ready to fight the bacteria; it can also be referred to as the "natural" immune system. The cells of the innate immune system do not have specific responses and respond to each foreign invader using the same mechanism.
-Cytosis is a suffix that either refers to certain aspects of cells ie cellular process or phenomenon or sometimes refers to predominance of certain type of cells. It essentially means "of the cell". Sometimes it may be shortened to -osis and may be related to some of the processes ending with -esis or similar suffixes.
Every organism requires energy to be active. However, to obtain energy from its outside environment, cells must not only retrieve molecules from their surroundings but also break them down. This process is known as intracellular digestion. In its broadest sense, intracellular digestion is the breakdown of substances within the cytoplasm of a cell. In detail, a phagocyte's duty is obtaining food particles and digesting it in a vacuole. For example, following phagocytosis, the ingested particle fuses with a lysosome containing hydrolytic enzymes to form a phagolysosome; the pathogens or food particles within the phagosome are then digested by the lysosome's enzymes.
Microautophagy is one of the three common forms of autophagic pathway, but unlike macroautophagy and chaperone-mediated autophagy, it is mediated—in mammals by lysosomal action or in plants and fungi by vacuolar action—by direct engulfment of the cytoplasmic cargo. Cytoplasmic material is trapped in the lysosome/vacuole by a random process of membrane invagination.
Intracellular transport is the movement of vesicles and substances within a cell. Intracellular transport is required for maintaining homeostasis within the cell by responding to physiological signals. Proteins synthesized in the cytosol are distributed to their respective organelles, according to their specific amino acid’s sorting sequence. Eukaryotic cells transport packets of components to particular intracellular locations by attaching them to molecular motors that haul them along microtubules and actin filaments. Since intracellular transport heavily relies on microtubules for movement, the components of the cytoskeleton play a vital role in trafficking vesicles between organelles and the plasma membrane by providing mechanical support. Through this pathway, it is possible to facilitate the movement of essential molecules such as membrane‐bounded vesicles and organelles, mRNA, and chromosomes.
Vomocytosis is the cellular process by phagocytes expel live organisms that they have engulfed without destroying the organism. Vomocytosis is one of many methods used by cells to expel internal materials into their external environment, yet it is distinct in that both the engulfed organism and host cell remain undamaged by expulsion. As engulfed organisms are released without being destroyed, vomocytosis has been hypothesized to be utilized by pathogens as an escape mechanism from the immune system. The exact mechanisms, as well as the repertoire of cells that utilize this mechanism, are currently unknown, yet interest in this unique cellular process is driving continued research with the hopes of elucidating these unknowns.