FOXO: a key target in regulating aging and age-related diseases

FOXOs constitute a class of evolutionarily conserved transcription factors that play pivotal roles in diverse cellular processes, including glucose and lipid metabolism, energy homeostasis, oxidative stress response, and autophagy. They are recognized as central regulators of longevity. This review details the mechanisms linking FOXO to aging. FOXO activity is regulated via nucleocytoplasmic shuttling, a process controlled by phosphorylation and dephosphorylation through the insulin/insulin-like growth factor (IIS) signaling pathway. This shuttling influences the expression of aging-related genes, thereby modulating aging-related phenotypes in tissues such as muscle and liver. Furthermore, FOXO can also regulate the autophagy pathway through multiple mechanisms: On one hand, it transcriptionally activates core autophagy genes such as Ulk2 and Becn1; on the other hand, it enhances autophagic activity by modulating miRNAs or epigenetic modifications, thereby promoting the elimination of damaged cellular components, and ultimately delaying organismal aging. Moreover, as a key sensor of oxidative stress, FOXO is activated by reactive oxygen species (ROS), thereby inducing the expression of antioxidant enzymes that mitigate oxidative damage and delay cellular aging. This review provides an in-depth exploration of the dual roles of FOXO in various aging-related diseases. This includes neurodegenerative diseases (such as Huntington's disease, Parkinson's disease, and Alzheimer's disease), metabolic disorders (such as type 2 diabetes), and various cancers. Meanwhile, this review also discusses drugs targeting the FOXO pathway in recent years (such as canagliflozin, metformin, resveratrol, and berberine). These FOXO-targeting compounds demonstrate great potential in improving metabolic disorders and delaying the onset of aging phenotypes.