Age-Driven Lipid Remodeling Activates Lysosome-Mediated Plasma Membrane Repair.

ABSTRACT: The abundance and stoichiometry of membrane lipid species vary across a cell's lifespan and metabolic state. In the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), age-related alterations in lipid composition contribute to vision loss and diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), yet the molecular drivers of these changes remain unclear. Here, we show that age-dependent remodeling of the composition and biophysical properties of the plasma membrane compromises membrane integrity and function. Remarkably, rather than undergoing cell death, affected cells activate a lysosome-dependent plasma membrane repair program to preserve barrier integrity. While this adaptive response may protect RPE structure under metabolic stress, it also drives spatially polarized release of lysosomal contents tha

SUBMITTER: Tom E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12869690 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature