OPTN and Alzheimer disease: AD-affected brains have also been identified to have a downregulation of the expression of various proteins known to participate in autophagy and mitophagy processes, including Optineurin (OPTN), ATG5, PI3K class III, ULK1, AMBRA1, BNIP3, BNIP3L, VDAC1, and VCP/P97 [125].