Biomedicine Seminar

Talk title: Inter-Organelle Membrane Contact Sites in Apoptosis: Lessons from Itch and Cholesterol Trafficking

Abstract:
Inter-organelle membrane contact sites are increasingly recognised as dynamic hubs for cellular signalling, metabolism, and stress responses. In this seminar, we present recent findings on the E3 ubiquitin ligase Itch, which modulates death receptor trafficking and mitochondrial cholesterol accumulation to regulate apoptosis. We will discuss the formation of a mitochondrial complex involving the cholesterol-transfer protein STARD1 and VDAC2, and how Itch negatively regulates this complex. These processes underscore the functional importance of membrane contact sites between the mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum and late endosomes/lysosomes, in shaping cell fate decisions. By examining Itch’s role as a regulator of molecular bridges across organelles, we highlight how ubiquitin signalling intersects with lipid trafficking and organelle communication. The seminar will contextualise these findings within broader themes of organelle communication and cancer therapy resistance.