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The role of autophagic cell death in cardiac disease

Jihoon Nah1, Daniela Zablocki2, Junichi Sadoshima2

  • 1Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Medicine, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA; Department of Biochemistry, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Korea.

Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology
|September 9, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Cardiomyocyte cell death is crucial in heart failure. This review explores autophagy-dependent cell death, including a specific form called autosis, in heart disease.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Cell Biology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Cardiomyocytes are vital heart cells that can undergo cell death in conditions like myocardial infarction and heart failure.
  • Understanding cardiomyocyte cell death mechanisms is fundamental for developing effective heart failure treatments.

Purpose of the Study:

  • This review focuses on autophagy-related cardiomyocyte cell death.
  • It aims to discuss the role of autophagy-dependent cell death, including autosis, in the pathophysiology of heart disease.

Main Methods:

  • Review of current literature on cardiomyocyte cell death.
  • Focus on autophagy-dependent cell death mechanisms.
  • Inclusion of autosis as a specific type of autophagy-dependent cell death.

Main Results:

  • Autophagy is essential for cellular quality control and survival.
  • Dysregulation of autophagy can lead to autophagy-dependent cell death (Type II programmed cell death).
  • Autosis is a recently identified form of autophagy-dependent cell death with distinct features.

Conclusions:

  • Autophagy plays a dual role in cardiomyocyte survival and death.
  • Understanding autophagy-dependent cell death, particularly autosis, is critical for addressing heart failure.
  • Further research into these mechanisms can inform therapeutic strategies for heart disease.

Keywords:
Autophagy-dependent cell deathAutosisCardiovascular diseaseTherapeutic interventions

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