Sepsis is a life-threatening organ dysfunction syndrome caused by a dysregulated host response to infection. Septic acute kidney injury (SAKI) is one of the most common complications of sepsis, and the occurrence of acute kidney injury (AKI) indicates that the patient's condition is critical with a poor prognosis. The traditional view holds that the main mechanism of SAKI is the reduction of renal blood flow, inadequate renal perfusion, inflammatory response, and microcirculatory dysfunction caused by sepsis, which subsequently leads to ischemia and necrosis of renal tubular cells. Recent research findings indicate that processes such as autophagy and other forms of programmed cell death play an increasingly important role. Autophagy is a programmed intracellular degradation process and is a form of programmed cell death. Cells degrade their cytoplasmic components via lysosomes, breaking down and recycling intracellular constituents to meet their metabolic needs, maintain intracellular homeostasis, and renew organelles. During SAKI, autophagy plays a crucial protective role through various mechanisms, including regulating inflammation and immune responses, clearing damaged organelles, and maintaining stability in the intracellular environment. In recent years, the role of autophagy in the pathogenesis and treatment of SAKI has received widespread attention. Research has confirmed that various intracellular signaling pathways and signaling molecules targeting autophagy [such as mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway, AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling pathway, nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling pathway, and Sirtuins (SIRT), autophagy associated factor Beclin-1, and Toll-like receptor (TLR)] are involved in the development of SAKI. Due to the complex pathogenesis of SAKI, current treatment strategies include fluid management, infection control, maintenance of internal environment balance, and renal replacement therapy; however, the mortality remains high. In recent years, it has been found that autophagy plays a critical protective role in sepsis-mediated AKI. As a result, an increasing number of drugs are being developed to alleviate SAKI by regulating autophagy. This article reviews the latest advances in the role of autophagy in the pathogenesis and treatment of SAKI, with the aim of providing insights for the development of new drugs for SAKI patients.
Humans ; Acute Kidney Injury/etiology* ; Autophagy ; Sepsis/complications* ; Signal Transduction

Objective To investigate the role of TLR4/NF-κB signal pathway in pathogenesis of brain inju-ry during deep hypothermia circulatory arrest(DHCA). Methods BV2 microglia cells were subjected to oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation(OGD/R),in vitro model for DHCA. The BV2 were randomly divided into the control group(C group)and the experimental group(O group). BV2 viability was determined by CCK-8 assay. TLR4 and its downstream signaling molecules ,MyD88 and phosphorylated NF-κB (p-p65) expressions were detected by Western blotting. TLR4 mRNA expression in BV2 microglial cells were determined by RT-PCR. Level of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) in culture medium was detected by ELASA. Results Compared with the group C,BV2 microglia cell viability in experiment group was obviously weaker(P<0.05). Expressions of TLR4,MyD88 and phosphorylated NF-κB(p-p65)from the experiment group increased remarkedly than those from the group C (P < 0.05). TLR4 mRNA level was higher significantly in the group O than in the group C (P < 0.01). Production of IL-6 and TNF-α in the group O were up-regulated apparently compared to the group C(P<0.01). Conclusion TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway contributed to activation of BV2 microglia cells treated by OGD/Reoxygenation ,which was probably the exactly way that involved in pathogenesis of brain injury during deep hypothermia circulatory arrest.