Abstract: Autophagy is a highly conserved decomposition process that contributes to the removal of cytoplasmic components, including protein aggregates and damaged organelles. Autophagy not only degrades products, but also is a dynamic recovery system that produces new proteins and energy for cell repairment and homeostasis. Recent studies have shown that Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) that mediates pathogen recognition and immune activation receptor protein can induce inflammation and regulate autophagy. The abnormal autophagy is involved in the occurrence and development of various kidney diseases. This article reviews the recent studies of TLR4-mediated autophagy and kidney diseases.

Key words: autophagy, kidney disease, Toll-like receptor 4, inflammation