The role of autophagy in the treatment of type II diabetes and its complications: a review

Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2023 Sep 21:14:1228045. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1228045. eCollection 2023.

Abstract

Type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic metabolic disease characterized by prolonged hyperglycemia and insulin resistance (IR). Its incidence is increasing annually, posing a significant threat to human life and health. Consequently, there is an urgent requirement to discover effective drugs and investigate the pathogenesis of T2DM. Autophagy plays a crucial role in maintaining normal islet structure. However, in a state of high glucose, autophagy is inhibited, resulting in impaired islet function, insulin resistance, and complications. Studies have shown that modulating autophagy through activation or inhibition can have a positive impact on the treatment of T2DM and its complications. However, it is important to note that the specific regulatory mechanisms vary depending on the target organ. This review explores the role of autophagy in the pathogenesis of T2DM, taking into account both genetic and external factors. It also provides a summary of reported chemical drugs and traditional Chinese medicine that target the autophagic pathway for the treatment of T2DM and its complications.

Keywords: Type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM); autophagy; complications; hypoglycemic agents; traditional Chinese medicine.

Publication types

  • Review
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Autophagy
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2* / complications
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2* / drug therapy
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2* / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Hyperglycemia* / complications
  • Insulin / metabolism
  • Insulin Resistance*

Substances

  • Insulin

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province (No. ZR2022QH299), The Key Research and Development Program of Shandong Province (No. 2021CXGC010511), National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 822046560), Traditional Chinese Medicine Science and Technology Project of Shandong Province (No. Q-2022055), Youth Innovation Team Program in University of Shandong Province (No. 2022KJ341), Higher Education Development Planning Research Project of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (No. GJYJZ202210). The authors appreciate their help in earnest.