The contribution of autophagy to lymphocyte survival and homeostasis.
Journal Article (Journal Article;Review)
Over the life span of a T lymphocyte, from thymic development to death, it is subjected to a variety of stresses and stimuli. Upon receipt of each stress or stimulus, a potentially life-changing fate decision must be made, namely, whether to commit to a form of programmed cell death or to make the necessary adaptations to effectively deal with the changing environment. In our laboratory, we have identified several stresses that a T lymphocyte will encounter during a normal life span. Our studies have focused on how T cells utilize autophagy to get a grasp on the situation, or in cases in which survival is untenable, how T cells use autophagy to hasten their demise. This review focuses on the functions of T-cell autophagy in maintaining homeostasis, eliminating excess or dangerous levels of mitochondria, trimming levels of endoplasmic reticulum, and promoting a healthy metabolic level to allow cells to perform as productive components of the immune system. In addition, the use of autophagy signaling molecules to perform autophagy-independent tasks involved in the maintenance of immune homeostasis is discussed.
Full Text
Duke Authors
Cited Authors
- McLeod, IX; Jia, W; He, Y-W
Published Date
- September 2012
Published In
Volume / Issue
- 249 / 1
Start / End Page
- 195 - 204
PubMed ID
- 22889223
Pubmed Central ID
- PMC3602971
Electronic International Standard Serial Number (EISSN)
- 1600-065X
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
- 10.1111/j.1600-065X.2012.01143.x
Language
- eng
Conference Location
- England