Oxidative stress-induced autophagy: Role in pulmonary toxicity

• Exposure to pulmonary toxicants is associated with oxidative stress.
• Oxidative stress is known to induce autophagy.
• Autophagy is upregulated in the lung following exposure to pulmonary toxicants.
• Autophagy may be protective or pathogenic.

Autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved catabolic process important in regulating the turnover of essential proteins and in elimination of damaged organelles and protein aggregates. Autophagy is observed in the lung in response to oxidative stress generated as a consequence of exposure to environmental toxicants. Whether autophagy plays role in promoting cell survival or cytotoxicity is unclear. In this article recent findings on oxidative stress-induced autophagy in the lung are reviewed; potential mechanisms initiating autophagy are also discussed. A better understanding of autophagy and its role in pulmonary toxicity may lead to the development of new strategies to treat lung injury associated with oxidative stress.