[Autophagy in the kidney]

Abstract

Autophagy is a highly conserved, physiological, catabolic process, involving the lysosomal degradation of cytosolic components, including macromolecules (such as proteins and lipids) and cytosolic organelles. Autophagy is believed to be essential for the maintenance of cellular homeostasis, for a number of fundamental biological activities, and an important component of the complex response of cells to multiple forms of stress. Autophagy is involved in the pathogenesis of a number of clinically important disorders but, until recently, little was known about its connection to kidney diseases. However, there is now growing evidence that autophagy is specifically linked to the pathogenesis of important renal diseases such as acute kidney injury, diabetic nephropathy and polycystic kidney disease. However, an understanding of the precise role of autophagy in the course of kidney diseases is still in its infancy. The review points out areas of particular interest for future research, and also discusses the importance of such information on whether the pharmacologic agents that modulate autophagy are potentially usable as novel forms of treatment for various kidney diseases.