Functional cooperation between ATG7/autophagy and the PALB2 tumor suppressor in mitochondrial regulation, redox homeostasis, and neuronal health

Abstract

In a recently published study, we described a genetic interaction and functional cooperation between Atg7, an essential autophagy gene, and Palb2, a breast cancer susceptibility gene, in the maintenance of mitochondrial function, redox homeostasis, and neuronal viability. Our studies uncovered a new function for PALB2 in mitochondrial regulation and provided new insights into the role of ATG7/autophagy in maintaining redox balance and neuronal health. Here, we summarize the main findings and discuss their implications in neurodegeneration and the potential treatment of PALB2 mutant and similar cancers with autophagy inhibition.