Autophagy in Intracerebral Hemorrhage: From Mechanism to Regulation

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is the most lethal type of stroke. Secondary injury from ICH determines the recovery, but there is still a lack of effective treatment. The identification of new therapeutic targets may address the current dilemma. The process of autophagy is mediated through the lysosomal pathway and is used to maintain cell homeostasis. Recent studies have advanced our knowledge of autophagy, and in particular its involvement in cell physiology and pathology. Autophagy involves multiple targets and signaling pathways and occurs in many brain cells. It also regulates oxidative stress and inflammation after ICH, both of which are important factors in secondary brain injury. An appropriate level of autophagy is protective in ICH, whereas excessive autophagy may be detrimental. In this review, we discuss the signaling pathways for autophagy in ICH and related factors that provide a theoretical basis for the discovery of new treatment targets.