Indian scientists find missing link in body’s cells to boost therapies for Alzheimer’s, cancer

NEW DELHI: Researchers from the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) have uncovered a surprising player in autophagy, or the “self-eating” process that removes damaged parts of cells that can pave the way for developing therapies for diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson's, and cancer.

Autophagy is a key biological process where cells clear out damaged and unwanted materials. When a cell fails to clear waste, its health suffers, especially in long-lived neurons. The autophagy pathway, which removes damaged material and defends against infections, is disrupted in diseases like Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s.

In cancer, autophagy plays dual roles. Autophagy initially prevents cancer but later supports tumour growth. Autophagy also acts as a tumour suppressor by maintaining genome integrity and cellular homeostasis by clearing cellular junk such as protein aggregates and damaged mitochondria.