The intricate biological process known as autophagy plays a vital role in keeping our cells healthy and functioning by sweeping up and recycling bits of debris and invading micro-organisms.
Until recently, much of what was known about autophagy was based on studies of yeast cells, work that in 2016 led to a Nobel Prize for Japanese researcher Yoshinori Ohsumi.
Now, a team headed by Vojo Deretic, PhD, distinguished professor and director of The University of New Mexico’s Autophagy, Inflammation & Metabolism (AIM) Center of Biomedical Research Excellence, has mapped out key details of how autophagy functions in mammals — including humans.
And, in a startling finding, the researchers provide evidence showing that SARS-CoV-2 infection can disrupt the process.
“This underscores the significance of autophagy as a process,” Deretic says of the new research. “The field is struggling to understand how it works in mammalian and human
— source University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center | Nov 22, 2021