Biological Functions of Autophagy Genes: A Disease Perspective

Abstract

The lysosomal degradation pathway of autophagy plays a fundamental role in cellular, tissue, and organismal homeostasis and is mediated by evolutionarily conserved autophagy-related (ATG) genes. Definitive etiological links exist between mutations in genes that control autophagy and human disease, especially neurodegenerative, inflammatory disorders and cancer. Autophagy selectively targets dysfunctional organelles, intracellular microbes, and pathogenic proteins, and deficiencies in these processes may lead to disease. Moreover, ATG genes have diverse physiologically important roles in other membrane-trafficking and signaling pathways. This Review discusses the biological functions of autophagy genes from the perspective of understanding-and potentially reversing-the pathophysiology of human disease and aging.

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Affiliated Institutions

• Université Paris Cité FR
• Assistance Publique – Hôpitaux de Paris FR
• Inserm FR
• Karolinska University Hospital SE
• Délégation Paris 5 FR
• Sorbonne Université FR
• Institut Gustave Roussy FR
• The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center US
• Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers FR
• Hôpital Européen FR
• Howard Hughes Medical Institute US
• Sorbonne Paris Cité FR
• Karolinska Institutet SE
• Hôpital Européen Georges-Pompidou FR

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