BECLIN1 is essential for intestinal homeostasis

Abstract

BECLIN1 is a component of Class III phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase complexes that orchestrates autophagy initiation and endocytic trafficking. Here we show intestinal epithelium-specific BECLIN1 deletion in adult mice led to rapid fatal enteritis with compromised gut barrier integrity, highlighting its intrinsic critical role in gut maintenance. BECLIN1-deficient intestinal epithelial cells exhibited extensive apoptosis, impaired autophagy, and stressed endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria. Remaining absorptive enterocytes and secretory cells displayed morphological abnormalities. Deletion of the autophagy regulator, ATG7, failed to elicit similar effects, suggesting novel autophagy-independent functions of BECLIN1 distinct from ATG7. Indeed, organoids derived from BECLIN1 KO mice showed E-cadherin mislocalisation providing a mechanism linking endocytic trafficking mediated by Beclin1 and loss of intestinal barrier integrity. Our findings establish an indispensable role of BECLIN1 in maintaining mammalian intestinal homeostasis and uncover its involvement in endocytic trafficking in this process. Hence, this study has significant implications for our understanding of intestinal pathophysiology.