The role of selective autophagy in cardiovascular diseases: mechanisms and therapeutic potential

Selective autophagy, as a crucial form of cellular autophagy, plays a vital role in the degradation of specific substances or organelles in cells. Different from traditional autophagy mechanisms, it precisely identifies and removes damaged or superfluous cellular components, such as lipids, mitochondria, or endoplasmic reticulum, thereby maintaining cellular homeostasis. In recent years, research has revealed a close relationship between selective autophagy and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Dysfunction in selective autophagy may promote pathological damage or disease progression in various CVDs, including atherosclerosis, heart failure, ischemic heart disease, and metabolic cardiomyopathy. In this review, we focused on summarizing the mechanisms of specific selective autophagy pathways, including lipophagy, mitophagy, and reticulophagy in CVDs. Furthermore, we analyzed the potential applications and underlying mechanisms of small-molecule compounds, which could target selective autophagy for the treatment of CVDs. We aimed to provide a new theoretical foundation for the prevention and treatment of CVDs.