Impaired Autophagic Clearance in Aging: Mechanisms and Therapeutic Perspectives on Age-Related Diseases

As we age, the cells inside the body start to dysfunction, resulting in damaged parts of cells such as damaged proteins. Autophagy is a vital cellular process that recycles the damaged parts to keep the cell healthy. Autophagic clearance rate drops with age, which might be caused by autophagosome dysfunction, impaired lysosomal activity, etc. As a result, damaged organelles build up, causing stress, inflammation, deterioration of cells, and mitochondrial dysfunction. The surge and worsening of age-related diseases such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and Sarcopenia is related to impaired autophagic clearance. To create therapies and treatments, one must understand how this vitiation takes place. There are many ways such as regular exercise, a calorie deficit diet, and drugs regulating autophagy and targeting lysosomal and mitochondrial functions. Altogether, rebuilding autophagic clearance can support cell functioning and lessen the damage caused by age-related diseases and slow down the development of such diseases.