Niemann Pick C1 mistargeting disrupts lysosomal cholesterol homeostasis contributing to neurodegeneration in a Batten disease model.

Neurodegeneration is a devastating manifestation in most lysosomal storage disorders (LSDs). Loss-of-function mutations in , encoding palmitoyl-protein thioesterase-1 (PPT1), cause CLN1 disease, a devastating neurodegenerative LSD that has no curative treatment. Numerous proteins in the brain require dynamic S-palmitoylation (palmitoylation-depalmitoylation) for trafficking to their destination. Although PPT1 depalmitoylates S-palmitoylated proteins and its deficiency causes CLN1 disease, the underlying pathogenic mechanism has remained elusive. We report that Niemann-Pick C1 (NPC1), a polytopic membrane protein mediating lysosomal cholesterol egress, requires dynamic S-palmitoylation for trafficking to the lysosome. In mice, Ppt1 deficiency misroutes NPC1-dysregulating lysosomal cholesterol homeostasis. Along with this defect, increased oxysterol-binding protein (OSBP) promotes cholesterol-mediated activation of mechanistic target of rapamycin C1 (mTORC1), which inhibits autophagy contributing to neurodegeneration. Pharmacological inhibition of OSBP suppresses mTORC1 activation, rescues autophagy, and ameliorates neuropathology in mice. Our findings reveal a previously unrecognized role of /PPT1 in lysosomal cholesterol homeostasis and suggest that suppression of mTORC1 activation may be beneficial for CLN1 disease.