Autophagy and Oral Tissue Regeneration: A Comprehensive Review

The oral cavity is a complex and constantly changing environment that requires continuous regeneration and remodeling. Autophagy, a cellular process that involves the degradation and recycling of cellular components, has been shown to play a crucial role in oral tissue regeneration. Additionally, the oral cavity is home to a diverse microbial community, and many oral diseases are caused by bacterial infections and immune reactions. Autophagy has been found to be involved in controlling infectious agents, limiting inflammation, and coordinating the immune response, making it a critical component of oral health.

Despite the growing body of research on the role of autophagy in oral health, there has been no systematic review of its contribution to oral tissue regeneration. In this review, we focus on the mechanisms by which autophagy regulates stem cells and oral tissue regeneration. We discuss how autophagy helps alleviate the survival stress of oral stem cells and provide an overview of the autophagy machinery in eukaryotes. We also examine the molecular mechanisms involved in autophagy-regulated oral tissue regeneration and explore ways to manipulate autophagy using small molecule drugs, biomaterials, exosomes/RNAs, or other specific treatments.

Although much progress has been made in understanding the role of autophagy in oral tissue regeneration, many questions remain unanswered. Further mechanistic studies are needed to develop effective therapies that can harness the power of autophagy to promote tissue regeneration. Our review provides insights into the potential of autophagy as a therapeutic target in oral and other tissue regeneration and highlights the importance of continued research in this area.