Tuning Autophagy for Improved Liver Transplant Outcomes: Insights from Experimental Models

Liver transplantation faces significant challenges, primarily due to the severe shortage of organs-aggravated by the increasing prevalence of liver diseases-and graft loss due to the consequences of ischemia/reperfusion injury (I/RI) and rejection. A recent study highlights the critical role of autophagy, a cellular breakdown and recycling mechanism, in addressing these issues. This article examines the role of autophagy in liver transplantation, focusing on organ preservation and recovery after surgery, as well as its potential to regulate immune responses and increase graft survival. Additionally, it will cover the role of autophagy in xenotransplantation, a prospective solution to the organ scarcity crisis. Ultimately, it assesses the importance of precisely timing autophagy modulation-whether induction or inhibition-to enhance transplantation outcomes, while identifying key knowledge gaps and future research directions.