Crosstalk between Autophagy and Apoptosis: Potential and Emerging Therapeutic Targets for Cardiac Diseases

Int J Mol Sci. 2016 Mar 3;17(3):332. doi: 10.3390/ijms17030332.

Abstract

Autophagy is a cell survival process which is related to breaking down and reusing cytoplasm components. Moreover, autophagy regulates cell death under certain conditions. Apoptosis has the characteristics of chromatin agglutination and the shrinking of nuclear and apoptosis body form. Even if the mechanisms of autophagy and apoptosis have differences, some proteins modulate both autophagy and apoptosis. Crosstalk between them exists. This review highlights recent advances in the interaction of autophagy and apoptosis and its importance in the development of cardiovascular diseases.

Keywords: apoptosis; autophagy; cardiovascular diseases; crosstalk.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apoptosis* / drug effects
  • Autophagy* / drug effects
  • Autophagy-Related Proteins / metabolism
  • Beclin-1 / metabolism
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / drug therapy
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / metabolism*
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / pathology
  • Cardiovascular System / drug effects
  • Cardiovascular System / metabolism*
  • Cardiovascular System / pathology
  • Caspases / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Molecular Targeted Therapy
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction* / drug effects
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / metabolism

Substances

  • Autophagy-Related Proteins
  • Beclin-1
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53
  • Caspases