Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) are a significant cause of worldwide mortality and
morbidity. While the histopathological characteristics of AAA are well documented, the
cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of AAA are not entirely
understood. Autophagy is a highly conserved basal cellular process in eukaryotic cells that
involves the turnover of organelles and proteins. It is also activated as an adaptive response
to stressful conditions to promote cell survival. While autophagy typically promotes pro …