About this Research Topic
Higher eukaryotic cells use proteasomes and lysosomes for protein turn-over, including pathogen-derived and tumor antigens. The products of these degradative machineries are presented on MHC class I and II, respectively. Accordingly, cellular transport pathways that allow polypeptides to gain access to these proteolytic machineries can be presented to T cells. One pathway that targets cytoplasmic constituents for lysosomal degradation is autophagy. In recent years it has become clear that the molecular machinery of autophagy assists antigen processing for MHC presentation, modulates pathogen recognition in antigen presenting cells and even controls their capacity to shape innate and adaptive immunity via cytokine secretion. This Research Topic is intended to high-light the many aspects, by which autophagy influences antigen presenting cell biology, and which have to be considered during experimental or pathogen induced regulation of this pathway.
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