ULK1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus: Compared with the control group, the phosphorylation level of AMPK at tyrosine 172, the expressions of PINK1, Parkin, autophagy protein 5 (Atg5), the phosphorylation level of ULK1 at Ser555 and the ratio of LC3II/I were significantly decreased, while p62 expression was elevated in the T2DM mice (Fig. 3C-I).