Physiological role of the primary cilium-autophagy axis in brain and vascular system aging – CILIOPHAGING

The cardiovascular system and the brain are dramatically affected during aging, leading to an increased risk of atherosclerosis and cognitive deficits. The medical and societal consequences of these alterations illustrate the importance of identifying the cellular mechanisms involved in neuronal and vascular systems aging. Our recent work has shown that a decrease in autophagy activity contributes to vascular/cognitive alterations during aging, however the mechanisms of this decline remain still unknown. Our preliminary data suggest a molecular link between primary cilia and autophagy that can mediate the cellular adaptation to systemic environment, which is a prerequisite to maintain neuronal and vascular system fitness. We propose to define the functional relevance and the molecular bases of this dialog for the maintenance of neuronal/vascular homeostasis. This project could identify new therapeutic targets to treat age-related cardiovascular and cognitive disorders.