Crocin activates Heat Shock Protein 70 (Hsp70) in DCM rats, stimulating AMPK, which in turn increases Beclin-1 and LC3II/I levels, while reducing p62/SQSTM1, Bax/Bcl-2, and caspase-3 levels, thereby fortifying heart cell protection through enhanced autophagy (Feidantsis et al., 2018). Here, SQSTM1 is linked to familial dilated cardiomyopathy.