Recent clinical researches demonstrated "obesity paradox" in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. However, why obesity is beneficial to COPD development remains unclear. Obesity is distinguished by hyperinsulinemia, and cellular senescence of airway epithelial cells (AEC) is involved in COPD progression. In this study, we aim to investigate the roles of insulin in high concentration in AEC cellular senescence. Human bronchial epithelial cells (SEAS-2B) and small airway epithelial cells (HSAEpiC) were used for experiments and treated with insulin in indicated time period and concentration with or without 1% cigarette smoke extract (CSE) exposure, and autophagy activator (rapamycin) or inhibitor (chloroquine) after exposed to 1% CSE. The expression of senescence protein (p21), cell cycle related protein (cyclinE), and autophagy protein (LC3B, Beclin-1 and p62) were determined by western blot. Cellular senescence was detected by Senescence-beta-Galactosidase staining. Autophagy level was detected by GFP-LC3B fluorescent light. Results showed that insulin receded cellular senescence in different time and concentration, as indicated by decreased expression of p21, increased expression of cyclinE and down-regulated ratio of SA-beta-Gal stained cells in BEAS-2B and HSAEpiC under physiological or CSE-exposure. condition. 5 mu g/ml insulin treated for 48 h up-regulated the ratio of LOB WI, Beclin-1 and number of spot dots of GFP-LC3B, and down-regulated the level of p62 in AEC cells after 1% CSE exposure, while 1% CSE showed an opposite effect. Activating autophagy receded cellular senescence, and vice versa. Meanwhile, the effect of 5 mu g/ml insulin on receding cellular senescence could be alleviated by autophagy inhibitor chloroquine or reinforced by autophagy activator rapamycin. In conclusion, insulin in high concentration could reduce the CSE induced cellular senescence of human airway epithelial cells through autophagy pathway. (C) 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.