A role for lipophagy in atherosclerosis

Nat Rev Cardiol. 2023 Jul;20(7):431-432. doi: 10.1038/s41569-023-00885-z.

Abstract

Lipophagy is a type of selective autophagy that targets lipid droplets for degradation. Since the discovery of lipophagy in 2009, research has uncovered a central role for this process in cellular lipid metabolism, including in atherogenic foam cells. Therefore, increasing lipophagy might be a therapeutic target to reverse lipid build-up in atherosclerosis.

MeSH terms

  • Atherosclerosis*
  • Autophagy
  • Humans
  • Lipid Metabolism