Reversible suppression of autophagy in a mouse model reveals neuronal resilience

Despite numerous studies aiming to slow neuronal deterioration, it remains unclear whether neuronal functions and intracellular quality can be restored once impaired. Here, we developed a mouse model in which autophagy could be rapidly and reversibly regulated to investigate the reversibility of such defects..

Suppressing autophagy led to proteome and transcriptome changes, inclusion body accumulation, and axonal swelling, all of which were largely ameliorated after autophagy restoration. Consistent with these cellular abnormalities, autophagy suppression induced motor and cognitive dysfunction, which was also significantly reversed upon autophagy restoration. Our findings elucidate the potential resilience of neuronal function and quality enabled by intracellular clearance.