IRIG: Autophagy in Metabolic Syndrome

01/13/2008 08:38
          In the current issue of “Cell”, there is a very nice review article on “Autophagy”. The role of autophagy in metabolic syndrome, longevity, and various diseases are covered in the review. What is “Autophagy”? In the introduction, it states that “One of the most evolutionarily conserved cellular responses to organismal fasting is the activation of the lysosomal degradation pathway of autophagy, a process in which the cell self-digests its own components. This self-digestion not only provides nutrients to maintain vital cellular functions during fasting but also can rid the cell of superfluous or damaged organelles, misfolded proteins, and invading microorganisms. Interestingly, self-digestion by autophagy—a process that is potently triggered by fasting—is now emerging as a central biological pathway that functions to promote health and longevity.” Attached is the PDF file.
 
By Jianping

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Jianping Ye, MD
Professor of Molecular Biology
Pennington Biomedical Research Center
Louisiana State University System
6400 Perkins Road
Baton Rouge, LA 70808
Phone: (225)763-3163
E-mail: yej@pbrc.edu
Webpage: http://labs.pbrc.edu/generegulation/index.htm
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