We propose IGPR-1 as a pro-autophagy cell adhesion molecule that upon activation stimulates AMPK activation, leading to phosphorylation of BECN1 and ULK1, key proteins involved in autophagy (Fig. 6), linking cell adhesion to autophagy, a finding that has important significance for autophagy-driven pathologies such cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Here, ULK1 is linked to cancer.