Lipophagy: A key regulator in oxidative stress and metabolic disorders

Lipophagy, the selective autophagic degradation of lipid droplets, is essential for regulating cellular lipid levels and energy balance while preventing lipotoxicity. This process integrates with metabolic pathways, particularly in counteracting oxidative stress by clearing excess lipids that generate reactive oxygen species. Dysregulation of lipophagy contributes to metabolic disorders, including obesity and diabetes, where impaired lipid clearance leads to insulin resistance, inflammation, and tissue damage. It also exerts protective effects in cardiovascular health by modulating lipid accumulation in atherosclerosis and influences neurodegenerative diseases by alleviating lipid-induced neuronal stress. This review emphasizes the therapeutic potential of targeting lipophagy, proposing that pathway modulation could offer innovative strategies for treating lipid dysregulation-associated diseases. Advancing knowledge of lipophagy's mechanisms and its interplay with oxidative stress may enable therapies that tackle underlying pathologies beyond symptom management.