Autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved, lysosome-dependent catabolic process whereby cytoplasmic components, including damaged organelles, protein aggregates and lipid droplets, are degraded and their components recycled. Autophagy has an essential role in maintaining cellular homeostasis in response to intracellular stress; however, the efficiency of autophagy declines with age and overnutrition can interfere with the autophagic process. Therefore, conditions such as sarcopenic obesity, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) that are characterized by metabolic derangement and intracellular stresses (including oxidative stress, inflammation and endoplasmic reticulum stress) also involve the accumulation of damaged cellular components. These conditions are prevalent in ageing populations. For example, sarcopenia is an age-related loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength that is involved in the pathogenesis of both insulin resistance and T2DM, particularly in elderly people. Impairment of autophagy results in further aggravation of diabetes-related metabolic derangements in insulin target tissues, including the liver, skeletal muscle and adipose tissue, as well as in pancreatic β-cells. This Review summarizes the role of autophagy in the pathogenesis of metabolic diseases associated with or occurring in the context of ageing, including insulin resistance, T2DM and sarcopenic obesity, and describes its potential as a therapeutic target.
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