The role and mechanism of autophagy regulator mTOR in renal ischemia-reperfusion injury

Renal ischemia-reperfusion injury (RIRI) is a major cause of acute kidney injury (AKI) and poor kidney transplantation outcomes. Its pathogenesis is closely related to oxidative stress, autophagy, and endoplasmic reticulum stress, although the specific mechanism is still unclear. The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), as a key regulator of autophagy, plays critical roles at various stages of RIRI through different signaling pathways and contributes to mitigating renal damage. However, the underlying mechanisms require further studies. This review focuses on the role and mechanism of mTOR in RIRI and discusses the potential of mTOR as a therapeutic target.