Similarly, deletion of p21 and autophagy protein 5 (ATG5, which is critically involved in tubular epithelial senescence) aggravated ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI), leading to increased renal damage and cell death, impaired renal recovery and higher mortality (Megyesi et al. 2001; Baisantry et al. 2016). Here, ATG5 is linked to ischemia reperfusion injury.