Jagannath Misra, Zachary Hanquier, Reese Baxter, Nipuni P. Barupala, Alexander Jackson, Jessica L. Maiers
We show for the first time that TGFβ-mediated activation of HSCs induces selective autophagy of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER-phagy), through upregulation of ER-phagy receptors and ER-phagic flux. We further show that the unfolded protein response is critical for this effect. Finally, we identify the ER-phagy receptor FAM134B as a critical regulator of collagen I dynamics and fibrogenesis, with loss of FAM134B dysregulating collagen I secretion and deposition.