Crosstalk of autophagy and apoptosis: Involvement of the dual role of autophagy under ER stress

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is a common cellular stress response that is triggered by a variety of conditions that disturb cellular homeostasis, and induces cell apoptosis. Autophagy, an important and evolutionarily conserved mechanism for maintaining cellular homeostasis, is closely related to the apoptosis induced by ER stress. There are common upstream signaling pathways between autophagy and apoptosis induced by ER stress, including PERK/ATF4, IRE1α, ATF6, and Ca 2+ . Autophagy can not only block the induction of apoptosis by inhibiting the activation of apoptosis‐associated caspase which could reduce cellular injury, but also help to induce apoptosis. In addition, the activation of apoptosis‐related…

• NN
  National Natural Science Foundation of China

  Awards: 81670086, 81370183
• NS
  Natural Science Foundation of Tianjin City

  Award: 14JCYBJC27800