The functional and pathologic relevance of autophagy proteases

摘要: Autophagy is a well-conserved catabolic process essential for cellular homeostasis. First described in yeast as an adaptive response to starvation, this pathway also present higher eukaryotes, where it triggered by stress signals such damaged organelles or pathogen infection. characterized at the level engulfment of portions cytoplasm double-membrane structures called autophagosomes. Autophagosomes fuse with lysosomes, resulting degradation inner autophagosomal membrane and luminal content. This coordinated complex molecular systems, including ATG8 ubiquitin-like conjugation system ATG4 cysteine proteases, which are implicated formation, elongation, fusion these autophagic vesicles. In Review, we focus on diverse functional roles autophagins, protease family formed four mammalian orthologs Atg4. We address dysfunctional expression proteases several pathologic conditions cancer inflammation discuss potential therapies based their modulation.