Holm Tammy M, Yeo Syn, Turner Kevin M, Guan Jun-Lin
Department of Surgery, The University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States.
Vontz Center for Molecular Studies, Department of Cancer Biology, The University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States.
Front Cell Dev Biol. 2022 Jun 29;10:821855. doi: 10.3389/fcell.2022.821855. eCollection 2022.
Autophagy is a highly conserved recycling process through which cellular homeostasis is achieved and maintained. With respect to cancer biology, autophagy acts as a double-edged sword supporting tumor cells during times of metabolic and therapeutic stress, while also inhibiting tumor development by promoting genomic stability. Accumulating evidence suggests that autophagy plays a role in thyroid cancer, acting to promote tumor cell viability and metastatic disease through maintenance of cancer stem cells (CSCs), supporting epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and preventing tumor cell death. Intriguingly, well-differentiated thyroid cancer is more prevalent in women as compared to men, though the underlying molecular biology driving this disparity has not yet been elucidated. Several studies have demonstrated that autophagy inhibitors may augment the anti-cancer effects of known thyroid cancer therapies. Autophagy modulation has become an attractive target for improving outcomes in thyroid cancer. This review aims to provide a comprehensive picture of the current knowledge regarding the role of autophagy in thyroid cancer, focusing on the potential mechanism(s) through which inhibition of autophagy may enhance cancer therapy and outcomes.
自噬是一种高度保守的循环过程，通过该过程实现并维持细胞内稳态。就癌症生物学而言，自噬犹如一把双刃剑，在代谢应激和治疗应激期间支持肿瘤细胞，同时也通过促进基因组稳定性来抑制肿瘤发展。越来越多的证据表明，自噬在甲状腺癌中发挥作用，通过维持癌症干细胞（CSC）、支持上皮-间质转化（EMT）以及防止肿瘤细胞死亡来促进肿瘤细胞存活和转移性疾病。有趣的是，与男性相比，分化良好的甲状腺癌在女性中更为常见，尽管导致这种差异的潜在分子生物学机制尚未阐明。多项研究表明，自噬抑制剂可能增强已知甲状腺癌疗法的抗癌效果。自噬调节已成为改善甲状腺癌治疗结果的一个有吸引力的靶点。本综述旨在全面介绍目前关于自噬在甲状腺癌中作用的知识，重点关注抑制自噬可能增强癌症治疗效果和改善治疗结果的潜在机制。
