Autophagy maintains intestinal stem cell integrity

The intestinal epithelium is continuously renewed by a pool of intestinal stem cells expressing Lgr5. We show that deletion of the key autophagy gene Atg7 affects the survival of Lgr5+ intestinal stem cells. Mechanistically, this involves defective DNA repair, oxidative stress, and altered interactions with the microbiota. This study highlights the importance of autophagy in maintaining the integrity of intestinal stem cells.

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Trentesaux C, Fraudeau M, Pitasi CL, Lemarchand J, Jacques S, Duche A, Letourneur F, Naser E, Bailly K, Schmitt A, Perret C, Romagnolo B