SQSTM1 and silicosis: In our previous studies on AMs in silicosis patients and in a silicosis mouse model, we observed changes in the level and function of autophagy, characterized by a decrease in lysosomes and an increase in autophagosomes, as well as an increase in the autophagic degradation markers LC3II/I and p62, and a decrease in LAMP2 expression (He et al., 2020; Tan et al., 2023).