The Role of Reactive Oxygen Species in Autophagy

Reactive oxygen species(ROS) are highly reactive molecules produced in cell metabolism, thus make surrounding molecules vulnerable to oxidation. ROS are involved in various intracellular signal transduction pathways,and are believed to be important regulators of physiological processes. Autophagy is the degradation and recycling of components in eukaryotes through the lysosome system,and is a key player in cellular response to stress and the pathogenesis of related diseases. In this paper we reviewed the latest studies about ROS and autophagy-related regulation, focusing on autophagy modulation mediated by ROS as signal molecules,especially on signal transduction mechanisms involved in ROSinduced autophagic cell death,autophagic cell survival and mitophagy.