Emerging Mechanistic Insights of Selective and Non selective Autophagy in Liver and Gut Diseases and Their Treatment Strategies in the Era of COVID-19

Macroautophagy (autophagy) regulates cellular homeostasis by lysosomal degradation of dysfunctional or damaged cellular components and invading pathogens. In addition, autophagy selectively recycles specific organelles such as damaged mitochondria (via mitophagy), and lipid droplets (LDs; via lipophagy) or eliminates specialized intracellular pathogenic microorganisms such as hepatitis B virus (HBV) and coronaviruses (via virophagy). Selective autophagy, particularly mitophagy and lipophagy, plays an important role in preservation of healthy liver physiology, and its dysfunction is connected to the pathogenesis of a wide variety of hepatic diseases such as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, hepatocellular carcinoma, and drug-induced liver injury. Moreover, virophagy is currently investigated in the context of viral hepatitis and, more recently, the COVID-19-associated hepatic and gut pathologies.

Perfect understanding of the molecular mechanisms of selective and non selective autophagy in liver and gut diseases may help to propose an innovative strategy to treat these diseases by natural products and pharmacological agents, which can modulate autophagy. This can be achieved using in vitro and in vivo animal models of liver and gut diseases as mentioned above. Also, studies and clinical trials using natural and pharmacological agents targeting autophagy can reveal new mechanistic insights for treatment of liver and gut diseases.

The aim of this Research Topic is to highlight the up to date mechanisms of selective and non selective autophagy and therapy of various liver and gut diseases. Such therapy could be be related to modulation of autophagy by natural or pharmacological agents. We will accept both Original Research papers and Reviews related to the topic using human studies, in vitro and in vivo animal models. Other types of papers such as perspective are welcomed. The themes to be addressed may include, but are not limited to, the following:

- Mechanisms of selective and non selective autophagy in liver and gut diseases such as viral hepatitis, COVID-19, cancer, fatty liver diseases and IBD.
- Natural and pharmacological agents targeting selective and non selective autophagy in liver and gut diseases.
-Studies related to other types of autophagy, such as CMA and microautophagy are welcomed.

Keywords: NAFLD, IBD, Autophagy, COVID-19, lipophagy, liver and gut disease, mitophagy, PINK1-PRKN pathway, TFEB, virophagy, xenophagy

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