The Role of Mitophagy in Viral Infection

Mitophagy, which is able to selectively clear excess or damaged mitochondria, plays a vital role in the quality control of mitochondria and the maintenance of normal mitochondrial functions in eukaryotic cells. Mitophagy is involved in many physiological and pathological processes, including apoptosis, innate immunity, inflammation, cell differentiation, signal transduction, and metabolism. Viral infections cause physical dysfunction and thus pose a significant threat to public health. An accumulating body of evidence reveals that some viruses hijack mitophagy to enable immune escape and self-replication. In this review, we systematically summarize the pathway of mitophagy initiation and discuss the functions and mechanisms of mitophagy in infection with classical swine fever virus and other specific viruses, with the aim of providing a theoretical basis for the prevention and control of related diseases.