Noncanonical autophagy in systemic lupus erythematosus

Abstract

Abstract Background Noncanonical autophagy is generally described as a lysosomal degradation process that requires only a subset of the core autophagy‐related proteins to form functional autophagosomes. Review: Accumulating evidence implicates noncanonical autophagy pathways in expanding the versatility of the immune system via regulation of functions that include antigen presentation, dead cell clearance, inflammatory cytokine production, and immune cell homeostasis. In this review, we use microtubule‐associated protein 1 light chain 3‐associated phagocytosis (LAP) as an example of noncanonical autophagy, describing its distinctive molecular machinery and highlighting recent advances in its functioning in immunity. We also discuss the direct and indirect evidence supporting the pathogenic significance of abnormal levels of LAP in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Future Perspectives: A better understanding of the role of noncanonical autophagy in SLE may reveal crucial information about the disease pathology, providing direction for therapeutic developments and improved prognosis.

Keywords

• autoimmunity
• autophagy
• LC3‐associated phagocytosis
• noncanonical autophagy
• systemic lupus erythematosus