SQSTM1 and age-related macular degeneration: However, mechanistic studies analyzing the ratio of LC3-II/LC3-I under starvation revealed that despite AP accumulation, the efficiency of autophagy is reduced in AMD RPE, and that these cells failed to induce autophagy in response to starvation, contrary to what was speculated by Wang et al. In addition, analysis of p62 levels further revealed lower autophagic flux in AMD compared with normal RPE.