BNIP3L/NIX-mediated mitophagy: molecular mechanisms and implications for human disease

  • Cell Death Dis. 2021 Dec 20;13(1):14. doi: 10.1038/s41419-021-04469-y.
Yue Li  1 ,  Wanqing Zheng  1 ,  Yangyang Lu  1 ,  Yanrong Zheng  1  2 ,  Ling Pan  1 ,  Xiaoli Wu  1 ,  Yang Yuan  1 ,  Zhe Shen  1 ,  Shijia Ma  1 ,  Xingxian Zhang  1 ,  Jiaying Wu  3 ,  Zhong Chen  4  5 ,  Xiangnan Zhang  6
Affiliations
  • 1. Institute of Pharmacology & Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of The Ministry of Health of China, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
  • 2. Key Laboratory of Neuropharmacology and Translational Medicine of Zhejiang Province, College of Pharmacology Science, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China.
  • 3. Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.
  • 4. Institute of Pharmacology & Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of The Ministry of Health of China, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China. [email protected].
  • 5. Key Laboratory of Neuropharmacology and Translational Medicine of Zhejiang Province, College of Pharmacology Science, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China. [email protected].
  • 6. Institute of Pharmacology & Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of The Ministry of Health of China, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China. [email protected].
PMID: 34930907 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-021-04469-y
Abstract

Mitophagy is a highly conserved cellular process that maintains the mitochondrial quantity by eliminating dysfunctional or superfluous mitochondria through Autophagy machinery. The mitochondrial outer membrane protein BNIP3L/Nix serves as a Mitophagy receptor by recognizing autophagosomes. BNIP3L is initially known to clear the mitochondria during the development of reticulocytes. Recent studies indicated it also engages in a variety of physiological and pathological processes. In this review, we provide an overview of how BNIP3L induces Mitophagy and discuss the biological functions of BNIP3L and its regulation at the molecular level. We further discuss current evidence indicating the involvement of BNIP3L-mediated Mitophagy in human disease, particularly in Cancer and neurological disorders.