Study Reveals New Autophagy Regulator

In December 2025, researchers from the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research uncovered a previously unknown role of the exocyst protein complex in autophagy, offering new insights for therapies targeting neurodegenerative diseases and cancer.

Key Points

Autophagy Explained: Autophagy is a vital cellular process through which cells remove damaged or unwanted components, helping maintain cellular health, especially in long-lived cells like neurons.
Disease Link: Disruption of the autophagy pathway is associated with neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Huntington’s diseases, as well as with cancer progression.
Dual Role in Cancer: Autophagy initially acts as a tumour suppressor by maintaining genome integrity and cellular homeostasis, but in later stages some cancer cells hijack the process to support survival and growth.
Protein Complex Function: The exocyst complex consists of eight proteins, seven of which are required for the proper formation of autophagosomes, the cellular structures that engulf and isolate waste material.
Consequences of Defects: When the exocyst complex is absent or dysfunctional, the cell’s autophagosome-forming machinery fails, leading to defective and non-functional waste-processing systems.
Mechanistic Insight: The study clarified how the exocyst complex, earlier recognised only for secretion-related functions, directly contributes to the autophagy pathway essential for cellular balance.
Therapeutic Potential: Since impaired autophagy is linked to several neurodegenerative diseases and cancers, understanding this regulatory mechanism opens new avenues for targeted therapeutic interventions.