ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the latest findings that demonstrate different forms of autophagy, which are active in the immune system and their roles in regulating the innate and adaptive immune response, with particular focus on adaptive immune system and T cells. The first evidence on the clearance of pathogens within non-phagocytic cells was demonstrated by the presence of some bacterial pathogenic group A Streptococcus being enveloped by the autophagosome and degraded upon lysosome fusion. After activation of endosomal TLRs (TLR7 and TLR9), and then inflammasome activation, MA regulates inflammatory response with the induction of an excess of IL-1βlevel as well as IL-18 and high-mobility group box 1. Autophagy has a role in the antigen presentation to adaptive immune cells like CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes. Autophagy can modulate T cell responses by its involvement in the presentation of antigens in the thymus and peripheral APCs. Macroautophagic activity regulates B cell development and function.
