RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Autophagy can regulate bone metabolism disorders in type 2 diabetes mellitus via nuclear factor KB receptor activating factor ligand, mammalian target of rapamycin, Wnt/β-catenin pathway, and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase. OBJECTIVE: To analyze and summarize the role and possible molecular mechanism of autophagy to improve bone metabolism disorder in type 2 diabetes mellitus. METHODS: Using “autophagy; exercise; type 2 diabetes mellitus; bone metabolism” as keywords, we retrieved literature regarding autophagy for improving bone metabolism disorder in type 2 diabetes mellitus in PubMed and China Knowledge Network, and logically analyzed and summarized the included studies. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Autophagy can improve bone metabolism disorders in type 2 diabetes mellitus through activation of signaling pathways, such as PPAR-γ, Hedgehog, MITF, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors. Autophagy can up-regulate the differentiation capacity of osteoblasts, down-regulate the absorption capacity of osteoclasts in type 2 diabetes mellitus, and has an important effect on bone formation and osteocalcin mineralization.