Figure 1.

The advantages and disadvantages of decreased and increased lysosomal function for cell metabolism. A decrease in lysosomal function can be beneficial in pathological conditions such as cancer, in which lysosome-mediated degradation sustains high energy demands and promotes invasiveness and migration of malignant cells. However, defective lysosomal degradation leads to the accumulation of undigested material within the lysosomes of individuals affected by lysosomal storage diseases (LSDs) or common neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Huntington’s disease. Conversely, enhancing lysosomal activity can be beneficial in diseases associated with dysfunctional lysosomes, but can be deleterious in conditions associated with excessive catabolism (such as cachexia) and in malignancies relying on lysosomal metabolism for cell growth.