title: Autophagy Regulates Formation of Primary Cilia in Mefloquine-Treated Cells.
abstract: Primary cilia have critical roles in coordinating multiple cellular signaling pathways. Dysregulation of primary cilia is implicated in various ciliopathies. To identify specific regulators of autophagy, we screened chemical libraries and identified mefloquine, an anti-malaria medicine, as a potent regulator of primary cilia in human retinal pigmented epithelial (RPE) cells. Not only ciliated cells but also primary cilium length was increased in mefloquine-treated RPE cells. Treatment with mefloquine strongly induced the elongation of primary cilia by blocking disassembly of primary cilium. In addition, we found that autophagy was increased in mefloquine-treated cells by enhancing autophagic flux. Both chemical and genetic inhibition of autophagy suppressed ciliogenesis in mefloquine-treated RPE cells. Taken together, these results suggest that autophagy induced by mefloquine positively regulates the elongation of primary cilia in RPE cells.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of East-West Medical Science, Kyung Hee University, Yongin 446-701.
authors.forename: Ji Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: ASAN Institute for Life Science, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, ASAN Medical Center, Seoul 138-736.
authors.forename: Dong-Jun
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Bae
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of East-West Medical Science, Kyung Hee University, Yongin 446-701.
authors.forename: Eun Sung
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of East-West Medical Science, Kyung Hee University, Yongin 446-701.
authors.forename: Han Byeol
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of East-West Medical Science, Kyung Hee University, Yongin 446-701.
authors.forename: So Jung
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of East-West Medical Science, Kyung Hee University, Yongin 446-701.
authors.forename: Yoon Kyung
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Jo
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of East-West Medical Science, Kyung Hee University, Yongin 446-701.
authors.forename: Doo Sin
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Jo
authors.affiliation: The School of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 440-746, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Dong-Gyu
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Jo
authors.affiliation: ASAN Institute for Life Science, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, ASAN Medical Center, Seoul 138-736.
authors.forename: Sang-Yeob
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of East-West Medical Science, Kyung Hee University, Yongin 446-701.
authors.forename: Dong-Hyung
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Cho
keywords: Autophagy; Mefloquine; Primary cilia; Retinal pigmented epithelial cells