"Autophagy": The Process of Self-Eating

Autophagy, or "self-digestion" of cells, is a process where cells digest and recycle damaged or deteriorated internal components for use in various cellular processes. This process plays a crucial role in maintaining cellular balance and helps cells adapt and survive in changing environments.

The concept of Autophagy was first introduced by Christian de Duve in 1963, who received the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1974 for discovering lysosomes, organelles that play a key role in the Autophagy process. Since then, knowledge and understanding of the Autophagy process have advanced significantly to the present day.

Benefits of Autophagy

1. Maintaining cellular balance: Autophagy helps eliminate foreign substances or damaged components to maintain internal cellular balance.

2. Cellular adaptation: Autophagy helps cells adapt and survive in changing environments, such as food scarcity or oxygen deprivation.

Applications of Autophagy

Understanding the Autophagy process has led to the development of treatments for diseases related to Autophagy function, such as:

• A 2017 study by Levine et al. found that controlling the Autophagy process may be a future approach to treating cancer.

• Research by Menzies et al. in 2015 indicated that increasing the Autophagy process might help slow the onset of diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.

Diet Control and the Autophagy Process

A 2010 study by Morselli et al. found that dietary control can stimulate the Autophagy process in cells through the induction of Sirtuin-1, a protein associated with longevity and stress tolerance. This leads to the digestion and recycling of unnecessary cellular components, allowing the body to efficiently utilize energy and nutrients, effectively reducing fat accumulation and weight.

Nutrients Related to the Autophagy Process

• Resveratrol
  An important compound in grapes and red wine, can stimulate the Autophagy process. A 2016 study by Park et al. indicated that resveratrol can trigger Autophagy in cells, increasing energy and fat metabolism.

• EGCG
  Found in green tea, according to a 2013 study by Farris et al., can stimulate Autophagy in cells through the induction of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK).

• Quercetin
  As found in a 2015 study by Wang et al., can stimulate Autophagy in liver cells by increasing the expression of Autophagy-related proteins such as LC3-II and Beclin-1.

• NADH
  According to a 2016 study by Fang et al., increasing NAD+ levels by supplementing with NMN (Nicotinamide Mononucleotide) can stimulate Autophagy and help slow age-related cellular deterioration.

References

• Levine, B., & Kroemer, G. (2019). Biological Functions of Autophagy Genes: A Disease Perspective. Cell, 176(1-2), 11-42. 

• Menzies, F. M., Flemming, A., & Rubinsztein, D. C. (2015). Compromised autophagy and neurodegenerative diseases. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 16(6), 345-357.

• Morselli, E., Maiuri, M. C., Markaki, M., Megalou, E., Pasparaki, A., Palikaras, K., ... & Kroemer, G. (2010). Calorie restriction and resveratrol promote longevity through the Sirtuin-1-dependent induction of autophagy. Cell Death & Disease, 1(1), e10-e10.

• Farris, P., Krutmann, J., Li, Y. H., McDaniel, D., & Krol, Y. (2013). Resveratrol: a unique antioxidant offering a multi-mechanistic approach for treating aging skin. Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 12(12), 1389-1394.

• Wang, K., Liu, R., Li, J., Mao, J., Lei, Y., Wu, J., Zeng, J., Zhang, T., Wu, H., Chen, L., Huang, C., & Wei, Y. (2015). Quercetin induces protective autophagy in gastric cancer cells: involvement of Akt-mTOR- and hypoxia-induced factor 1α-mediated signaling. Autophagy, 11(6), 959-973.

• Fang, E. F., Scheibye-Knudsen, M., Brace, L. E., Kassahun, H., SenGupta, T., Nilsen, H., Mitchell, J. R., Croteau, D. L., & Bohr, V. A. (2016). NAD+ Replenishment Improves Lifespan and Healthspan in Ataxia Telangiectasia Models via Mitophagy and DNA Repair. Cell Metabolism, 24(4), 566-581.