{
  "abstract": "The upstream stimulatory factor 2 (USF2) is a transcription factor known as a transcriptional activator that binds to E-box motifs in gene promoters. Recently, we reported that USF2 is also a transcriptional repressor of the genes that encode lysosomes and autophagy machinery, and that its deficiency results in the elevation of autophagy. The present study was designed to determine whether the absence of USF2 is responsible for more effective protection of the host cells from bacterial infection and intracellular bacterial growth. In this context, we employed Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) as a model pathogen and monitored the changes in intracellular bacterial burden observed in the wild-type (WT) cells and USF2-deficient cells over the time course of infection. The number of intracellular bacteria increased after infection in WT cells but remained similar or decreased in USF2-deficient cells. This phenomenon was observed in various cell types, including mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs), RAW264.7 macrophage-like cells, and primary bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs). The phagocytosis levels were the same in WT and USF2-deficient macrophages, but the latter had a higher basal autophagy, increased lysosome abundance, and increased expression of lysosomal genes. In addition, the components of LC3-associated phagocytosis (LAP), such as LC3B and RUBICON, together with reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, were elevated in USF2-deficient macrophages. Our results demonstrated that the enhanced autophagy in non-phagocytic cells and the elevated autophagy and LAP in phagocytes both contribute to the improved clearance of intracellular pathogens in USF2-deficient cells.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Department of Biological Sciences, Sookmyung Women's University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.",
    "Research Institute of Women's Health, Sookmyung Women's University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.",
    "Creative Research Initiatives Center for Epigenetic Code and Diseases, School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea."
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 8,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Junhee Kwon"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Jina Jeon"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Ji Won Kim"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Hamin Bae"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Jaebeom Kim"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Young Suk Yu"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Sung Hee Baek"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Keun Il Kim",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-9680-6230"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/cvptxxcvj9qxn.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1080/19768354.2026.2721740",
  "fulltext_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13715337",
  "id": "cvptxxcvj9qxn",
  "issns": [
    "1976-8354",
    "2151-2485"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42953696",
  "language": "eng",
  "licence": "CC-BY-NC",
  "licence_label": "CC BY-NC",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "heading",
      "Research Article"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2713|Autophagy in Disease and Therapy"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7223179262",
  "pdf_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13715337?pdf=render",
  "pmcid": "PMC13715337",
  "pmid": "42953696",
  "published": "2026-10-21",
  "publisher": "Taylor & Francis",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/cvptxxcvj9qxn.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-31T00:20:41Z",
      "native_id": "MED:42953696",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42953696"
    },
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-01T12:22:40Z",
      "native_id": "PMC13715337",
      "source": "pmc",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.1080/19768354.2026.2721740"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "openalex:2713|Autophagy in Disease and Therapy",
      "subfield": "epidemiology-public-health"
    }
  ],
  "title": "USF2 deficiency enhances intracellular clearance of Salmonella Typhimurium via xenophagy and LC3-associated phagocytosis.",
  "title_text": "USF2 deficiency enhances intracellular clearance of Salmonella Typhimurium via xenophagy and LC3-associated phagocytosis.",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-01T12:22:40Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/cvptxxcvj9qxn",
  "venue": "Animal cells and systems",
  "versions": []
}