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. 2021 Mar 15;10(7):e019310. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.120.019310

Figure 8. The proposed mechanism of the effect of estrogen on the delay of arterial senescence.

Figure 8

Estrogen increases mitochondrial autophagy, contributing to mitochondrial quality control and delaying cellular senescence. Rab9 dependent alternative autophagy, but not conventional autophagy, is the predominant form of E2‐induced mitochondrial autophagy. The effect of E2 on the induction of Rab9 is mediated by the SIRT1/LKB1/AMPK/Ulk1 pathway. As a result, mitochondrial autophagy derived from SIRT1/LKB1/AMPK/Ulk1/Rab9‐mediated alternative autophagy plays a key role in the effect of estrogen on the delay of vascular senescence. AMPK indicates adenosine monophosphate‐activated protein kinase;ATG7, autophagy related 7; E2, 17β‐estradiol; LC3, light chain 3; LKB1, liver kinase B1; ROS, reactive oxygen species; and SIRT1, sirtuin 1.