High-quality pork products have become a key goal for swine industry. Intramuscular fat content and muscle fiber type composition are critical factors influencing meat quality. As important metabolic and secretory organs, muscle and adipose tissues interact with each other, and exosomes, as mediators of intercellular communication, have become a major focus of research. Recently, a research team led by Academician Yulong Yin, was invited to publish a cutting-edge review entitled "Intracellular and intercellular crosstalk between exosomes and autophagy" in the international journal The Innovation Life, where it was also selected as the cover. 

“This paper focuses on the theme of how autophagy-dependent secretion regulates autophagy." Li Qilong, the first author of this paper said “It comprehensively and systematically summarizes the homeostatic role between exosomes and autophagy from both intracellular and intercellular dimensions."

The intracellular homeostasis between exosomes and autophagy primarily depends on the fate of multivesicular bodies and autophagosomes, as well as the vesicular transport function of autophagy-related proteins. However, the connection between multivesicular bodies and autophagosomes formed by selective autophagy at the organelle level has rarely been reported, which remains an important direction for future research. After exosomes secreted by donor cells are internalized by target cells, their cargoes, such as miRNAs and proteins, can activate or inhibit autophagy-related signals. Nevertheless, how autophagy-related signaling alterations affect the internalization and secretion of exosomes in recipient cells warrants further investigation.

Prof. Li Fengna, the corresponding author of this review, told us “This review provides new insights into muscle-adipose crosstalk and the role of nutrients in determining organelle fate."

Contact: Li Fengna

E-mail: lifengna@isa.ac.cn

Graphical Abstract (Image by Li Qilong)