Sabanci University Nanotechnology Research and Application Center (SUNUM), Istanbul 34956, Turkey.
Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Molecular Biology, Genetics and Bioengineering Program, Sabanci University, Istanbul 34956, Turkey.
Eur J Pharm Sci. 2019 Jun 15;134:116-137. doi: 10.1016/j.ejps.2019.04.011. Epub 2019 Apr 11.
Autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved catabolic mechanism, by which eukaryotic cells recycle or degrades internal constituents through membrane-trafficking pathway. Thus, autophagy provides the cells with a sustainable source of biomolecules and energy for the maintenance of homeostasis under stressful conditions such as tumor microenvironment. Recent findings revealed a close relationship between autophagy and malignant transformation. However, due to the complex dual role of autophagy in tumor survival or cell death, efforts to develop efficient treatment strategies targeting the autophagy/cancer relation have largely been unsuccessful. Here we review the two-faced role of autophagy in cancer as a tumor suppressor or as a pro-oncogenic mechanism. In this sense, we also review the shared regulatory pathways that play a role in autophagy and malignant transformation. Finally, anti-cancer therapeutic agents used as either inhibitors or inducers of autophagy have been discussed.
自噬是一种进化上保守的分解代谢机制，通过该机制，真核细胞通过膜运输途径回收或降解内部成分。因此，自噬为细胞在肿瘤微环境等应激条件下维持内稳态提供了生物分子和能量的可持续来源。最近的研究发现自噬与恶性转化密切相关。然而，由于自噬在肿瘤存活或细胞死亡中的复杂双重作用，因此开发针对自噬/癌症关系的有效治疗策略的努力在很大程度上并未成功。在这里，我们回顾了自噬作为肿瘤抑制因子或作为致癌机制在癌症中的双面作用。在这个意义上，我们还回顾了在自噬和恶性转化中起作用的共享调节途径。最后，讨论了用作自噬抑制剂或诱导剂的抗癌治疗剂。
