Coronavirus Usurps the Autophagy-Lysosome Pathway and Induces Membranes Rearrangement for Infection and Pathogenesis

Area of Science:

• Virology
• Cellular Biology
• Immunology

Background:

• Autophagy is a critical cellular defense mechanism against viral infections.
• Coronaviruses (CoVs) have developed sophisticated strategies to subvert the autophagy-lysosome pathway.
• Understanding CoV-autophagy interactions is crucial for combating viral diseases.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the origins of double-membrane vesicles (DMVs) during CoV infection.
• To elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which CoVs manipulate autophagy.
• To highlight the implications for developing novel antiviral therapies.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on CoV-autophagy interactions.
• Analysis of viral non-structural proteins and open-reading frames involved in autophagy manipulation.
• Examination of host-pathogen interactions at the molecular level.

Main Results:

• CoVs utilize autophagy-derived vesicles (phagophores, omegasomes) and ER-derived vesicles for replication.
• Viral proteins hijack autophagy initiation and intercept autophagic flux.
• These mechanisms protect viral RNA and evade host immune detection.

Conclusions:

• CoVs exploit cellular machinery to establish replication niches and evade immune responses.
• Targeting CoV-hijacked autophagy pathways offers potential therapeutic strategies against CoVs, including SARS-CoV-2.
• Further research into these mechanisms can inform the development of effective COVID-19 treatments.