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Review
. 2013 May;34(5):612-24.
doi: 10.1038/aps.2013.23. Epub 2013 Apr 8.

Autophagy modulation as a _target for anticancer drug discovery

Xin Li  1 , Huai-long Xu, Yong-xi Liu, Na An, Si Zhao, Jin-ku Bao
Affiliations
Review

Autophagy modulation as a _target for anticancer drug discovery

Xin Li et al. Acta Pharmacol Sin. 2013 May.

Abstract

Autophagy, an evolutionarily conserved catabolic process involving the engulfment and degradation of non-essential or abnormal cellular organelles and proteins, is crucial for homeostatic maintenance in living cells. This highly regulated, multi-step process has been implicated in diverse diseases including cancer. Autophagy can function as either a promoter or a suppressor of cancer, which makes it a promising and challenging therapeutic _target. Herein, we overview the regulatory mechanisms and dual roles of autophagy in cancer. We also describe some of the representative agents that exert their anticancer effects by regulating autophagy. Additionally, some emerging strategies aimed at modulating autophagy are discussed as having the potential for future anticancer drug discovery. In summary, these findings will provide valuable information to better utilize autophagy in the future development of anticancer therapeutics that meet clinical requirements.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The process of autophagy. Under conditions of nutrient deprivation, metabolic stress, ER stress, radiation or anticancer drug treatment, autophagy is readily induced. The complete autophagic flow can be divided into several stages: induction, vesicle nucleation, vesicle elongation and completion, docking and fusion, degradation and recycling.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Core signaling pathways regulating autophagy in cancer. Some major autophagic regulators and related pathways, including Beclin 1 interactome, p53 signaling, PI3K-Akt-mTOR pathways, and Ras-Raf-MEK-ERK pathways, play crucial roles in the regulation of autophagy in cancer.
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