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. 2019 Oct 2;7:213. doi: 10.3389/fcell.2019.00213

FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 1

Regulation and function of autophagy in T cells. Whereas basal macroautophagy is a central mechanism of mitochondrial homeostasis, signaling form the TCR, CD28 and/or the IL-2 receptor (IL-2R) activate macroautophagy activity to target specific protein substrates for degradation and regulate glycolytic and oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS). Activation of NFAT downstream of the TCR upregulates the expression of LAMP-2A that is targeted to the lysosomes to induce CMA. Selective targeting of specific regulators of TCR signaling that present CMA targeting motifs (CTM) are recognized by Hsc70 and delivered to the lysosome where they will be transported through a translocation complex forms by LAMP-2A multimers into the lysosomal lumen for degradation. A list of the different cargo targeted by macroautophagy and CMA for degradation and the functions that are regulated in T cells through those degradative process is also provided.