Autophagy: Can it become a potential therapeutic target? (Review)

  • Authors:
    • Xiao Hong Bao
    • Yoshio Naomoto
    • Hui Fang Hao
    • Nobuyuki Watanabe
    • Kazufumi Sakurama
    • Kazuhiro Noma
    • Takayuki Motoki
    • Yasuko Tomono
    • Takuya Fukazawa
    • Yasuhiro Shirakawa
    • Tomoki Yamatsuji
    • Junji Matsuoka
    • Munenori Takaoka
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: April 1, 2010     https://doi.org/10.3892/ijmm_00000369
  • Pages: 493-503
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Abstract

Autophagy is a cellular lysosomal degradation pathway involved in proteins and organelles recycling for promoting cell survival, development and homeostasis. It is a multistep process and genetic studies have identified many proteins that participate in autophagosome formation and fusion with lysosomes, and various signaling factors that associate with the regulation of autophagy. In general, autophagy acts as a cell protector and its dysfunction is correlated with diverse pathologies, such as neurodegeneration, liver, heart and muscle diseases, cancer, inflammation and ageing. However, its role in cell death increases the complexity of the autophagic degradation system. A broad understanding of autophagy, ranging from detailed processes, including induction, formation and degradation, to function in physiology and pathology, revealed by accumulating studies, may be helpful for formulating therapeutic strategies for autophagy-associated human diseases.

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April 2010
Volume 25 Issue 4

Print ISSN: 1107-3756
Online ISSN:1791-244X

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Copy and paste a formatted citation
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Spandidos Publications style
Bao XH, Naomoto Y, Hao HF, Watanabe N, Sakurama K, Noma K, Motoki T, Tomono Y, Fukazawa T, Shirakawa Y, Shirakawa Y, et al: Autophagy: Can it become a potential therapeutic target? (Review). Int J Mol Med 25: 493-503, 2010
APA
Bao, X.H., Naomoto, Y., Hao, H.F., Watanabe, N., Sakurama, K., Noma, K. ... Takaoka, M. (2010). Autophagy: Can it become a potential therapeutic target? (Review). International Journal of Molecular Medicine, 25, 493-503. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijmm_00000369
MLA
Bao, X. H., Naomoto, Y., Hao, H. F., Watanabe, N., Sakurama, K., Noma, K., Motoki, T., Tomono, Y., Fukazawa, T., Shirakawa, Y., Yamatsuji, T., Matsuoka, J., Takaoka, M."Autophagy: Can it become a potential therapeutic target? (Review)". International Journal of Molecular Medicine 25.4 (2010): 493-503.
Chicago
Bao, X. H., Naomoto, Y., Hao, H. F., Watanabe, N., Sakurama, K., Noma, K., Motoki, T., Tomono, Y., Fukazawa, T., Shirakawa, Y., Yamatsuji, T., Matsuoka, J., Takaoka, M."Autophagy: Can it become a potential therapeutic target? (Review)". International Journal of Molecular Medicine 25, no. 4 (2010): 493-503. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijmm_00000369