Galanin promotes autophagy and alleviates apoptosis in the hypertrophied heart through FoxO1 pathway

Autophagy and apoptosis are powerful regulators of multiple facets of cellular metabolism and homeostasis. Here, we uncover that galanin, a pleiotropic peptide, regulates cardiac autophagy and deactivates apoptotic cell death through the Forkhead box protein O1 (FoxO1) pathway. In hypertrophied heart, galanin promotes autophagy and metabolic shift from fatty acid (FA) to glucose oxidation and preserves mitochondrial integrity. In cardiomyoblasts, galanin triggers autophagosome formation and alleviates hypertrophy, apoptotic cell death, and mitochondrial stress. Mechanistically, galanin dictates cell autophagic and anti-apoptotic phenotypes through FoxO1 pathway. Together, these findings uncover a previously unknown role for galanin in the regulation of cardiac autophagy and provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms supporting cell survival in the hypertrophic reprogramming of the heart.