Autoimmune regulator regulates autophagy in THP-1 human monocytes.

The autoimmune regulator (AIRE) is a crucial factor for the induction of central tolerance, and mutations in this gene lead to abnormal immune responses. However, the role of AIRE in autophagy in immune cells, especially in monocytes, is obscure. In the present study, we found that overexpression of AIRE in THP-1 human monocytes resulted in increased endogenous light chain 3 (LC3)-II level and elevated LC3 positive vesicles. Moreover, an autophagy inhibitor or knockdown of AIRE by small interference RNA attenuated these effects. In contrast, the expression of p62/SQSTM1 remained unchanged in THP-1 cells after the corresponding treatment. Our findings indicate that AIRE plays a role in the regulation of autophagy in THP-1 human monocytes.