LC3-associated phagocytosis - The highway to hell for phagocytosed microbes

What is it about?

Phagocytes ingest, kill and degrade invading microbes in a process called phagocytosis. LC3-associated phagocytosis (LAP) combines the molecular machinery of phagocytosis with that of autophagy, the cellular pathway for ingestion of cytoplasmic components, resulting in the eponymous association of ‘microtubule-associated proteins 1 A/1B light chain 3’ (LC3) with the phagosomal membrane. The LC3-decorated phagosomes, or LAPosomes, show enhanced fusion with lysosomes resulting in enhanced killing and degradation of contained pathogens. Thus, LAP is a particularly microbicidal pathway. In this review, we discuss the molecular mechanisms involved in induction and execution of LAP and its crucial role in antimicrobial immunity against bacteria, fungi and parasites. As LAP has only recently been defined, we also point out the key open questions that remain to be answered.

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Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash

Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash

Why is it important?

In this review, we will delineate the molecular mechanisms of LAP and discuss its distinct function in antimicrobial immunity as well as how some pathogens manage to evade LAP. Moreover, we also point out the key open questions that remain to be answered about this relatively recently identified process.