The protective role of autophagy in sepsis

Publication date: Available online 30 March 2019Source: Microbial PathogenesisAuthor(s): Ying Feng, Boyi Liu, Xiang Zheng, Li Chen, Wei Chen, Zhicheng FangAbstractSepsis is characterized by life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a deregulated host response to infection. Autophagy is one of the innate immune defense mechanisms against microbial attack. Previous studies have demonstrated that autophagy is activated initially in sepsis, followed by a subsequent phase of impairment. A number of sepsis-related studies have shown that autophagy plays a protective role in multiple organ injuries partly by clearing pathogens, regulating inflammation and metabolism, inhibiting apoptosis and suppressing immune reactions. In this review, we present a general overview of and recent advances in the role of autophagy in sepsis and consider the therapeutic potential of autophagy activators in treating sepsis.
Source: Microbial Pathogenesis - Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: research