Example:
- Autophagy plays a critical role in cell survival and death by selectively removing damaged proteins and organelles.
- Recent studies have suggested that autophagy is implicated in various diseases such as cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, and metabolic disorders.
- In response to nutrient deprivation or stress, autophagy is activated to recycle cellular components and generate energy.
- Autophagy pathway can also be exploited as a therapeutic target to induce cell death in cancer cells.
- Inhibition of autophagy has been shown to enhance the sensitivity of cancer cells to chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
- Autophagy is required for the maturation of some organelles, such as lysosomes, and the maintenance of organelle homeostasis.
- Studies have demonstrated that autophagy deficiency leads to accumulation of damaged organelles and proteins, which promote cellular senescence and aging.
- Autophagy is tightly regulated by various signaling pathways, such as AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPKand mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), which coordinate nutrient sensing and autophagy induction.
- Autophagy receptors, such as p62/SQSTM1, selectively target their substrates to autophagosomes for degradation in a process called selective autophagy.
- Alterations in autophagy have been implicated in many human diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and cystic fibrosis, highlighting the importance of understanding the mechanisms of autophagy in health and disease.