Highlighting Roles of Autophagy in Human Diseases: A Perspective From Single-Cell Rna Sequencing Analyses Publisher Pubmed

Summary: Study highlights single-cell RNA sequencing in autophagy research. Could this unlock new disease treatments? #Autophagy #Genomics

Khalafiyan A¹ ; Fadaie M¹ ; Khara F² ; Zarrabi A^{3, 4, 5} ; Moghadam F¹ ; Khanahmad H¹ ; Cordani M^{6, 7} ; Boshtam M⁸
Source: Drug Discovery Today Published:2024

Abstract

Autophagy, the lysosome-driven breakdown of intracellular components, is pivotal in regulating eukaryotic cellular processes and maintaining homeostasis, making it physiologically important even under normal conditions. Cellular mechanisms involving autophagy include the response to nutrient deprivation, intracellular quality control, early development, and cell differentiation. Despite its established health significance, the role of autophagy in cancer and other diseases remains complex and not fully understood. A comprehensive understanding of autophagy is crucial to facilitate the development of novel therapies and drugs that can protect and improve human health. High-throughput technologies, such as single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), have enabled researchers to study transcriptional landscapes at single-cell resolution, significantly advancing our knowledge of autophagy pathways across diverse physiological and pathological contexts. This review discusses the latest advances in scRNA-seq for autophagy research and highlights its potential in the molecular characterization of various diseases. © 2024 The Author(s)