Crosstalk Between Autophagy, Apoptosis and Inflammation

Dear Colleagues,

Autophagy and apoptosis represent two fundamental pathophysiological mechanisms of cell fate regulation.

Several signaling pathways are intimately involved in the regulation of autophagy, apoptosis and inflammatory responses under both physiological and pathological conditions, and these processes are closely interconnected through complex crosstalk mechanisms. The coordinated regulation of autophagy, apoptosis and inflammation is crucial for maintaining cellular and tissue homeostasis. Notably, dysregulation of this crosstalk contributes to the pathogenesis of numerous diseases, including cancer, rheumatic disorders and neurodegenerative diseases. Autophagy has emerged as a cytoprotective mechanism that allows cells to adapt to metabolic and environmental stress.

However, increasing evidence indicates that the outcome of autophagic activation critically depends on cellular context, stress intensity and duration. In particular, impaired or dysregulated autophagic flux, as well as selective activation of specific autophagy pathways, can influence apoptotic and inflammatory signaling. Defective autophagy may promote apoptosis or trigger inflammatory responses through the release of damage-associated molecular patterns, leading to activation of innate immune pathways and enhanced production of pro-inflammatory cytokines.

Recent studies have clarified the molecules and signaling pathways involved in this crosstalk, identifying key regulatory proteins, lipid signaling pathways and their functional interactions. These findings highlight the need to further investigate how these pathways intersect to control cell fate.

This Special Issue aims to provide an updated overview of the signaling networks underlying the autophagy–apoptosis–inflammation framework with a primary focus on molecular mechanisms.

An additional purpose of this Special Issue is to investigate whether the relationship between autophagy and apoptosis impacts the response to therapy. Contributions addressing pharmacological modulation of these pathways are also welcome.

Understanding the molecular pathways involved in the apoptosis–autophagy relationship is a fundamental step toward advancing our knowledge of the mechanisms regulating cell death and survival, driving the development of new therapeutic strategies for cancer, rheumatic disorders and neurodegenerative diseases.

Prof. Dr. Maurizio Sorice
Dr. Tina Garofalo
Guest Editors

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