Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research ›› 2026, Vol. 30 ›› Issue (22): 5844-5858.doi: 10.12307/2026.193

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Transcription factor EB improves Alzheimer’s disease via the autophagy-lysosome pathway

Hu Yalin, Huang Fengqin, Yang Boyin, Luo Xingmei   

  1. Guizhou Medical University Affiliated Hospital, Guiyang 550004, Guizhou Province, China
  • Received:2025-07-04 Accepted:2025-08-25 Online:2026-08-08 Published:2025-12-27
  • Contact: Luo Xingmei, PhD, Chief physician, Master’s supervisor, Guizhou Medical University Affiliated Hospital, Guiyang 550004, Guizhou Province, China
  • About author:Hu Yalin, MS candidate, Guizhou Medical University Affiliated Hospital, Guiyang 550004, Guizhou Province, China
  • Supported by:
    Guizhou Provincial Science and Technology Plan Project, No. ZK[2024]General 225 (to LXM); National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. gyfynsfc[2023]-46 (to LXM); Doctoral Research Fund Project of Guizhou Medical University Affiliated Hospital, No. gyfybsky-2023-28 (to LXM) 

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Studies have confirmed that transcription factor EB and its dependent autophagy-lysosome pathway play a role in the development of various neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease.
OBJECTIVE: To summarize the role of transcription factor EB-mediated autophagy-lysosome pathway in Alzheimer’s disease.
METHODS: Electronic databases including PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, CNKI, WanFang Medical Network, and VIP were searched. The search period was from database inception to January 2025. The search terms were “Alzheimer Disease, AD, Transcription Factor EB, TFEB, Autophagy-lysosome Pathway, Autophagy, Lysosomes, Amyloid beta, Aβ, Tau, Tau protein” in English as well as “Alzheimer’s disease, transcription factor EB, autophagic lysosomes, autophagy, lysosomes, β-amyloid, Tau” in Chinese. Additionally, the references of relevant reviews and grey literature were manually supplemented. A total of 100 articles were finally included for review. 
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Amyloid-β deposition and Tau protein phosphorylation are the key pathological features of Alzheimer’s disease. Abnormalities in the autophagy-lysosome pathway promote the formation of neurotoxic protein aggregates such as amyloid-β and Tau, leading to the clinical manifestations of Alzheimer’s disease characterized by cognitive dysfunction and behavioral abnormalities. Transcription factor EB is a key regulator of the autophagy-lysosome pathway, controlling the transcription of many autophagy-related genes and lysosomal biogenesis. After entering the nucleus, transcription factor EB upregulates the expression of autophagy-lysosome pathway-related genes, significantly increasing the clearance rate of amyloid-β and Tau and significantly reducing neuronal toxicity. Therefore, increasing attention focuses on improving the pathology and behavioral deficits of Alzheimer’s disease by targeting transcription factor EB to affect the biological activity of autophagic lysosomes. For example, activating transcription factor EB through drug intervention and non-drug intervention can reduce β-amyloid deposition and Tau protein phosphorylation, thereby improving cognitive impairment in Alzheimer’s disease.

Key words: Alzheimer’s disease, transcription factor EB, autophagy-lysosome, amyloid-β, Tau, pathogenesis

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