Intrinsic Autophagy Is Required for the Maintenance of Intestinal Stem Cells and for Irradiation-Induced Intestinal Regeneration

Autophagy is a lysosomal degradation pathway with important roles in physiological homeostasis and disease. However, the role of autophagy in intestinal stem cells (ISCs) is unclear. Here, we show that intrinsic autophagy in ISCs is important for ISC homeostasis. Mice lacking autophagy protein 5 (ATG5) in intestinal epithelial cells (iECs) (Villin-Cre: Atg5(fl/fl), hereafter Atg5(Delta IEC) mice) or in all iECs except Paneth cells (Ah-Cre: Atg5(fl/fl) mice) had significantly fewer ISCs than did control mice and showed impaired ISC-dependent intestinal recovery after irradiation. Crypt ISCs from Atg5(Delta IEC) mice had significantly higher reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels than did those from control mice. A ROS-inducing reagent decreased the ISC number and impaired ISC regenerative capacity ex vivo, and treating Atg5(Delta IEC) mice with an antioxidant rescued their defects. Our results show that intrinsic autophagy supports ISC maintenance by reducing excessive ROS. Optimizing autophagy may lead to autophagy-based therapies for intestinal injuries.