New publication from Etienne Morel team in Journal of Cell Science
Vimentin intermediate filaments support autophagosome biogenesis at ER–endosome contact sites in response to starvation
Journal of Cell Science – July 27, 2026
The MEMBRANICS team, headed by Etienne Morel, reports a new role for vimentin network in autophagy. In this study, published in Journal of Cell Science, the lab investigates the role of intermediate filaments (IFs) type III protein, vimentin, in autophagosome biogenesis in response to nutrient stress.
Under nutrient starvation, cells undergo autophagy to recycle cellular components. This process requires autophagosome biogenesis for cell survival and is regulated by F-actin and microtubules. In this study, the authors worked on the role of IFs in this process.
Using a combination of super resolution microscopy, chemical inhibition, genetic knockout among other technics, this work demonstrates that in response to starvation, vimentin phosphorylation is dynamically regulated, its network is concentrated in the perinuclear region and is associated with autophagosome biogenesis events. Furthermore, the authors identified a new vimentin - endosome-endoplasmic reticulum membrane contacts sites (EERCS) axis, essential for the rapid initiation of autophagy.
Those finding offers a new model, demonstrating that the starvation-induced EERCS stabilisation is dependant of an intact vimentin network and open new perspectives for understanding IFs role in autophagy and autophagosome biogenesis.