Autophagy News and Research

RSS

Autophagy is a normal process in which a cell destroys proteins and other substances in its cytoplasm (the fluid inside the cell membrane but outside the nucleus), which may lead to cell death. Autophagy may prevent normal cells from developing into cancer cells, but it may also protect cancer cells by destroying anticancer drugs or substances taken up by them.

Scientists discover molecular pathway that controls cellular waste recycling

For years, TFEB has been regarded as one of the most promising therapeutic targets for restoring the cell's ability to clear and recycle waste.

30 Sep 2026

Mediterranean rockrose extract shows strong potential against skin fungi

A polyphenol-rich extract from Cistus salviifolius, a Mediterranean rockrose species traditionally used to treat skin conditions, has shown fungicidal activity against several dermatophytes, the fungi responsible for superficial infections of the skin, hair and nails.

28 Sep 2026

Engineered nanoparticles sensitize gliomas to radiotherapy

Gliomas are a major cause of cancer-related deaths in younger adults.

24 Sep 2026

Polystyrene nanoplastics may threaten reproductive health and offspring development

Plastic pollution is increasingly being recognized as more than an environmental problem. Tiny plastic particles can enter living organisms, circulate through biological systems, and potentially reach reproductive tissues.

21 Sep 2026

Chronic DNA damage response may contribute to biological aging

A new review was published in Volume 18 of Aging on August 31, 2026, titled "The guardian paradox: DNA damage response overactivation as an integrative driver of aging – a tumor suppressor–negative regulator framework."

21 Sep 2026

Celastrol reduces cholestatic liver injury by inhibiting specific protein

Cholestasis occurs when bile formation, secretion, or flow is impaired, causing toxic bile acids to accumulate and trigger inflammation and liver-cell damage.

17 Sep 2026

Time-restricted eating may slow early-stage Huntington's disease

A simple change in when people eat may offer a promising new approach for Huntington's disease, according to research led by Oregon Health & Science University.

17 Sep 2026

Researchers uncover how Atg2 drives autophagosome formation

Autophagy is an intracellular degradation mechanism in eukaryotes. The autophagosome, which encloses damaged or excess cellular material for degradation, is constructed from lipids supplied by the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), via the lipid transfer protein Atg2.

4 Sep 2026

Study reveals how melanoma weakens skin cell immune defenses

Cancers actively remodel their surrounding cells and tissues to create a microenvironment that favors their growth, survival, and spread.

1 Sep 2026

Faulty myelin-making brain cells may help drive cognitive decline with age

Researchers found that greater age-related cognitive decline was associated with more dysfunctional oligodendrocytes, reduced NRF2 expression, smaller myelinated axons, and abnormally thicker myelin in human white matter. Experiments in mice showed that deleting NRF2 specifically from oligodendrocytes reproduced key white matter abnormalities and reduced cognitive improvement over time, implicating this pathway in cognitive aging.

26 Aug 2026

Microglial differences found in genetic and sporadic frontotemporal dementia patients

A study by the University of Eastern Finland revealed for the first time clear differences in the function and gene expression of microglial cells from patients with genetic and sporadic types of frontotemporal dementia.

20 Aug 2026

Natural gut molecule could strengthen chickens' immune response against bacterial infections

A naturally occurring gut molecule that could strengthen chickens' immune response against a wide range of bacterial infections, has been identified by University of Bristol-led research.

12 Aug 2026

New review explores purinergic signaling pathways in osteoarthritis progression

A growing understanding of purinergic signaling is reshaping how scientists view osteoarthritis (OA), revealing an intricate communication network that influences joint inflammation, cartilage degeneration, bone remodeling, and chronic pain.

7 Aug 2026

Autophagy modulation emerges as a strategy against cisplatin-resistant gastric cancer

Drug resistance remains one of the greatest obstacles to successful treatment of gastric cancer, limiting the long-term effectiveness of the widely used chemotherapy drug cisplatin.

6 Aug 2026

Intertwined cellular processes reshape understanding of diabetes

A deeper understanding of how key cellular processes interact is reshaping perspectives on diabetes and its wide-ranging complications.

5 Aug 2026

Restricting select amino acids may mimic protein restriction’s healthy aging benefits

A review finds that restricting protein, particularly methionine, isoleucine, and valine, may improve metabolism and influence key aging pathways, largely in experimental models. Short human studies suggest metabolic benefits, but effects on lifespan remain unknown and restriction may harm people with unmet or increased protein needs.

3 Aug 2026

Researchers uncover molecular mechanisms of muscle repair during resistance exercise

Researchers from the Universities of Hildesheim, Bonn, and Freiburg have now uncovered how human skeletal muscle responds to resistance exercise at the molecular level.

28 Jul 2026

Blocking autophagy in blood vessels reduces skin inflammation in mice

Researchers at VIB and KU Leuven, together with international collaborators, have discovered that blocking autophagy - the body's natural recycling system for worn-out cell components - in specialized blood vessels can reduce inflammation in mice with psoriasis.

28 Jul 2026

Spermidine boosts key cellular processes linked to aging in early research

This review finds that spermidine supports autophagy, mitochondrial function, and healthspan in experimental models, while observational studies link higher dietary intake to lower mortality. However, human trials have produced limited and mixed results, leaving its clinical role in healthy aging unresolved.

23 Jul 2026