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Qin P, Li Q, Zu Q, Dong R, Qi Y. Natural products targeting autophagy and apoptosis in NSCLC: a novel therapeutic strategy. Front Oncol 2024; 14:1379698. [PMID: 38628670 PMCID: PMC11019012 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1379698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) being the predominant type. The roles of autophagy and apoptosis in NSCLC present a dual and intricate nature. Additionally, autophagy and apoptosis interconnect through diverse crosstalk molecules. Owing to their multitargeting nature, safety, and efficacy, natural products have emerged as principal sources for NSCLC therapeutic candidates. This review begins with an exploration of the mechanisms of autophagy and apoptosis, proceeds to examine the crosstalk molecules between these processes, and outlines their implications and interactions in NSCLC. Finally, the paper reviews natural products that have been intensively studied against NSCLC targeting autophagy and apoptosis, and summarizes in detail the four most retrieved representative drugs. This paper clarifies good therapeutic effects of natural products in NSCLC by targeting autophagy and apoptosis and aims to promote greater consideration by researchers of natural products as candidates for anti-NSCLC drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peiyi Qin
- First Clinical Medical College, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
- Shandong College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Yantai, Shandong, China
| | - Qingchen Li
- Department of Orthopedics, First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Qi Zu
- Shandong College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Yantai, Shandong, China
| | - Ruxue Dong
- Shandong College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Yantai, Shandong, China
| | - Yuanfu Qi
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
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2
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McGrath MK, Abolhassani A, Guy L, Elshazly AM, Barrett JT, Mivechi NF, Gewirtz DA, Schoenlein PV. Autophagy and senescence facilitate the development of antiestrogen resistance in ER positive breast cancer. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2024; 15:1298423. [PMID: 38567308 PMCID: PMC10986181 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1298423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Estrogen receptor positive (ER+) breast cancer is the most common breast cancer diagnosed annually in the US with endocrine-based therapy as standard-of-care for this breast cancer subtype. Endocrine therapy includes treatment with antiestrogens, such as selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs), selective estrogen receptor downregulators (SERDs), and aromatase inhibitors (AIs). Despite the appreciable remission achievable with these treatments, a substantial cohort of women will experience primary tumor recurrence, subsequent metastasis, and eventual death due to their disease. In these cases, the breast cancer cells have become resistant to endocrine therapy, with endocrine resistance identified as the major obstacle to the medical oncologist and patient. To combat the development of endocrine resistance, the treatment options for ER+, HER2 negative breast cancer now include CDK4/6 inhibitors used as adjuvants to antiestrogen treatment. In addition to the dysregulated activity of CDK4/6, a plethora of genetic and biochemical mechanisms have been identified that contribute to endocrine resistance. These mechanisms, which have been identified by lab-based studies utilizing appropriate cell and animal models of breast cancer, and by clinical studies in which gene expression profiles identify candidate endocrine resistance genes, are the subject of this review. In addition, we will discuss molecular targeting strategies now utilized in conjunction with endocrine therapy to combat the development of resistance or target resistant breast cancer cells. Of approaches currently being explored to improve endocrine treatment efficacy and patient outcome, two adaptive cell survival mechanisms, autophagy, and "reversible" senescence, are considered molecular targets. Autophagy and/or senescence induction have been identified in response to most antiestrogen treatments currently being used for the treatment of ER+ breast cancer and are often induced in response to CDK4/6 inhibitors. Unfortunately, effective strategies to target these cell survival pathways have not yet been successfully developed. Thus, there is an urgent need for the continued interrogation of autophagy and "reversible" senescence in clinically relevant breast cancer models with the long-term goal of identifying new molecular targets for improved treatment of ER+ breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael K. McGrath
- Georgia Cancer Center, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States
- Department of Cellular Biology & Anatomy, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States
| | - Ali Abolhassani
- Georgia Cancer Center, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States
- Department of Cellular Biology & Anatomy, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States
| | - Luke Guy
- Georgia Cancer Center, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States
- Department of Cellular Biology & Anatomy, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States
| | - Ahmed M. Elshazly
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States
- Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Kafrelsheikh University, Kafrelsheikh, Egypt
| | - John T. Barrett
- Georgia Cancer Center, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Georgia Cancer Center, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States
| | - Nahid F. Mivechi
- Georgia Cancer Center, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Georgia Cancer Center, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States
| | - David A. Gewirtz
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States
- Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States
| | - Patricia V. Schoenlein
- Georgia Cancer Center, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States
- Department of Cellular Biology & Anatomy, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States
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3
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Elshazly AM, Gewirtz DA. Cytoprotective, Cytotoxic and Cytostatic Roles of Autophagy in Response to BET Inhibitors. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:12669. [PMID: 37628849 PMCID: PMC10454099 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241612669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The bromodomain and extra-terminal domain (BET) family inhibitors are small molecules that target the dysregulated epigenetic readers, BRD2, BRD3, BRD4 and BRDT, at various transcription-related sites, including super-enhancers. BET inhibitors are currently under investigation both in pre-clinical cell culture and tumor-bearing animal models, as well as in clinical trials. However, as is the case with other chemotherapeutic modalities, the development of resistance is likely to constrain the therapeutic benefits of this strategy. One tumor cell survival mechanism that has been studied for decades is autophagy. Although four different functions of autophagy have been identified in the literature (cytoprotective, cytotoxic, cytostatic and non-protective), primarily the cytoprotective and cytotoxic forms appear to function in different experimental models exposed to BET inhibitors (with some evidence for the cytostatic form). This review provides an overview of the cytoprotective, cytotoxic and cytostatic functions of autophagy in response to BET inhibitors in various tumor models. Our aim is to determine whether autophagy targeting or modulation could represent an effective therapeutic strategy to enhance the response to these modalities and also potentially overcome resistance to BET inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed M. Elshazly
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, 401 College St., Richmond, VA 23298, USA;
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Kafrelsheikh University, Kafrelsheikh 33516, Egypt
| | - David A. Gewirtz
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, 401 College St., Richmond, VA 23298, USA;
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AbdulHussein AH, Al-Taee MM, Radih ZA, Aljuboory DS, Mohammed ZQ, Hashesh TS, Riadi Y, Hadrawi SK, Najafi M. Mechanisms of cancer cell death induction by triptolide. Biofactors 2023; 49:718-735. [PMID: 36876465 DOI: 10.1002/biof.1944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/07/2023]
Abstract
Drug resistance is a hot topic issue in cancer research and therapy. Although cancer therapy including radiotherapy and anti-cancer drugs can kill malignant cells within the tumor, cancer cells can develop a wide range of mechanisms to resist the toxic effects of anti-cancer agents. Cancer cells may provide some mechanisms to resist oxidative stress and escape from apoptosis and attack by the immune system. Furthermore, cancer cells may resist senescence, pyroptosis, ferroptosis, necroptosis, and autophagic cell death by modulating several critical genes. The development of these mechanisms leads to resistance to anti-cancer drugs and also radiotherapy. Resistance to therapy can increase mortality and reduce survival following cancer therapy. Thus, overcoming mechanisms of resistance to cell death in malignant cells can facilitate tumor elimination and increase the efficiency of anti-cancer therapy. Natural-derived molecules are intriguing agents that may be suggested to be used as an adjuvant in combination with other anticancer drugs or radiotherapy to sensitize cancer cells to therapy with at least side effects. This paper aims to review the potential of triptolide for inducing various types of cell death in cancer cells. We review the induction or resistance to different cell death mechanisms such as apoptosis, autophagic cell death, senescence, pyroptosis, ferroptosis, and necrosis following the administration of triptolide. We also review the safety and future perspectives for triptolide and its derivatives in experimental and human studies. The anticancer potential of triptolide and its derivatives may make them effective adjuvants for enhancing tumor suppression in combination with anticancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Yassine Riadi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia
| | - Salema K Hadrawi
- Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Technical Engineering Department, College of Technical Engineering, The Islamic University, Najaf, Iraq
| | - Masoud Najafi
- Medical Technology Research Center, Institute of Health Technology, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
- Radiology and Nuclear Medicine Department, School of Paramedical Sciences, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
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5
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Pan Z, Zhang H, Dokudovskaya S. The Role of mTORC1 Pathway and Autophagy in Resistance to Platinum-Based Chemotherapeutics. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:10651. [PMID: 37445831 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241310651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Cisplatin (cis-diamminedichloroplatinum I) is a platinum-based drug, the mainstay of anticancer treatment for numerous solid tumors. Since its approval by the FDA in 1978, the drug has continued to be used for the treatment of half of epithelial cancers. However, resistance to cisplatin represents a major obstacle during anticancer therapy. Here, we review recent findings on how the mTORC1 pathway and autophagy can influence cisplatin sensitivity and resistance and how these data can be applicable for the development of new therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenrui Pan
- CNRS UMR9018, Institut Gustave Roussy, Université Paris-Saclay, 94805 Villejuif, France
| | - Hanxiao Zhang
- CNRS UMR9018, Institut Gustave Roussy, Université Paris-Saclay, 94805 Villejuif, France
| | - Svetlana Dokudovskaya
- CNRS UMR9018, Institut Gustave Roussy, Université Paris-Saclay, 94805 Villejuif, France
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6
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Finnegan RM, Elshazly AM, Patel NH, Tyutyunyk-Massey L, Tran TH, Kumarasamy V, Knudsen ES, Gewirtz DA. The BET inhibitor/degrader ARV-825 prolongs the growth arrest response to Fulvestrant + Palbociclib and suppresses proliferative recovery in ER-positive breast cancer. Front Oncol 2023; 12:966441. [PMID: 36741704 PMCID: PMC9890056 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.966441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Anti-estrogens or aromatase inhibitors in combination with cyclin-dependent kinase 4 and 6 (CDK4/6) inhibitors are the current standard of care for estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) Her-2 negative metastatic breast cancer. Although these combination therapies prolong progression-free survival compared to endocrine therapy alone, the growth-arrested state of residual tumor cells is clearly transient. Tumor cells that escape what might be considered a dormant or quiescent state and regain proliferative capacity often acquire resistance to further therapies. Our studies are based upon the observation that breast tumor cells arrested by Fulvestrant + Palbociclib enter into states of both autophagy and senescence from which a subpopulation ultimately escapes, potentially contributing to recurrent disease. Autophagy inhibition utilizing pharmacologic or genetic approaches only moderately enhanced the response to Fulvestrant + Palbociclib in ER+ MCF-7 breast tumor cells, slightly delaying proliferative recovery. In contrast, the BET inhibitor/degrader, ARV-825, prolonged the growth arrested state in both p53 wild type MCF-7 cells and p53 mutant T-47D cells and significantly delayed proliferative recovery. In addition, ARV-825 added after the Fulvestrant + Palbociclib combination promoted apoptosis and demonstrated efficacy in resistant RB deficient cell lines. These studies indicate that administration of BET inhibitors/degraders, which are currently being investigated in multiple clinical trials, may potentially improve standard of care therapy in metastatic ER+ breast cancer patients and may further prolong progression-free survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan M. Finnegan
- Departments of Microbiology & Immunology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States,Departments of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States,Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States
| | - Ahmed M. Elshazly
- Departments of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States,Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States,Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Kafrelsheikh University, Kafrelsheikh, Egypt
| | - Nipa H. Patel
- Departments of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States,Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States
| | - Liliya Tyutyunyk-Massey
- Departments of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States
| | - Tammy H. Tran
- Departments of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States
| | - Vishnu Kumarasamy
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, United States
| | - Erik S. Knudsen
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, United States
| | - David A. Gewirtz
- Departments of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States,Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States,*Correspondence: David A. Gewirtz,
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Elshazly AM, Wright PA, Xu J, Gewirtz DA. Topoisomerase I poisons-induced autophagy: Cytoprotective, Cytotoxic or Non-protective. AUTOPHAGY REPORTS 2022; 2:1-16. [PMID: 36936397 PMCID: PMC10019749 DOI: 10.1080/27694127.2022.2155904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Topoisomerase I inhibitors represent a widely used class of antineoplastic agents that promote both single-stranded and double-stranded breaks in the DNA of tumor cells, leading to tumor cell death. Topotecan and irinotecan are the clinically relevant derivatives of the parent drug, camptothecin. As is the case with many if not most anticancer agents, irinotecan and topotecan promote autophagy. However, whether the autophagy is cytotoxic, cytoprotective, or non-protective is not clearly defined, and may depend largely upon the genetic background of the tumor cell being investigated. This review explores the available literature regarding the nature of the autophagy induced by these clinically utilized topoisomerase I inhibitors in preclinical tumor models with the goal of determining whether the targeting of autophagy might have potential as a therapeutic strategy to enhance the antitumor response and/or overcome drug resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed M. Elshazly
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Massey Cancer Center, 401 College St., Richmond, VA 23298, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Kafrelsheikh University, Kafrelsheikh 33516, Egypt
| | - Polina A. Wright
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Massey Cancer Center, 401 College St., Richmond, VA 23298, USA
| | - Jingwen Xu
- School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - David A. Gewirtz
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Massey Cancer Center, 401 College St., Richmond, VA 23298, USA
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8
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Wang Q, Zhang L, Xiao Y, Ghaemnezhad A. Diosgenin promotes cisplatin‐induced apoptosis through oxidative DNA damage in A549 non‐small cell lung cells. Cell Biol Int 2022; 46:1571-1576. [PMID: 35870171 DOI: 10.1002/cbin.11862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2021] [Revised: 01/29/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Qing Wang
- Department of Oncology The First People's Hospital of Qujing Qujing Yunan P.R. China
| | - Liqiong Zhang
- Department of Oncology The First People's Hospital of Qujing Qujing Yunan P.R. China
| | - Youchuan Xiao
- Department of Oncology The First People's Hospital of Qujing Qujing Yunan P.R. China
| | - Asghar Ghaemnezhad
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Science, North Tehran Branch Islamic Azad University Tehran Iran
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9
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Xu J, Elshazly AM, Gewirtz DA. The Cytoprotective, Cytotoxic and Nonprotective Functional Forms of Autophagy Induced by Microtubule Poisons in Tumor Cells—Implications for Autophagy Modulation as a Therapeutic Strategy. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10071632. [PMID: 35884937 PMCID: PMC9312878 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10071632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Revised: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Microtubule poisons, as is the case with other antitumor drugs, routinely promote autophagy in tumor cells. However, the nature and function of the autophagy, in terms of whether it is cytoprotective, cytotoxic or nonprotective, cannot be predicted; this likely depends on both the type of drug studied as well as the tumor cell under investigation. In this article, we explore the literature relating to the spectrum of microtubule poisons and the nature of the autophagy induced. We further speculate as to whether autophagy inhibition could be a practical strategy for improving the response to cancer therapy involving these drugs that have microtubule function as a primary target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingwen Xu
- School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, China;
| | - Ahmed M. Elshazly
- Massey Cancer Center, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, 401 College St., Richmond, VA 23298, USA;
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Kafrelsheikh University, Kafrelsheikh 33516, Egypt
| | - David A. Gewirtz
- Massey Cancer Center, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, 401 College St., Richmond, VA 23298, USA;
- Correspondence:
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10
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Is Autophagy Always a Barrier to Cisplatin Therapy? Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12030463. [PMID: 35327655 PMCID: PMC8946631 DOI: 10.3390/biom12030463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Revised: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Cisplatin has long been a first-line chemotherapeutic agent in the treatment of cancer, largely for solid tumors. During the course of the past two decades, autophagy has been identified in response to cancer treatments and almost uniformly detected in studies involving cisplatin. There has been increasing recognition of autophagy as a critical factor affecting tumor cell death and tumor chemoresistance. In this review and commentary, we introduce four mechanisms of resistance to cisplatin followed by a discussion of the factors that affect the role of autophagy in cisplatin-sensitive and resistant cells and explore the two-sided outcomes that occur when autophagy inhibitors are combined with cisplatin. Our goal is to analyze the potential for the combinatorial use of cisplatin and autophagy inhibitors in the clinic.
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11
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Bai Z, Peng Y, Ye X, Liu Z, Li Y, Ma L. Autophagy and cancer treatment: four functional forms of autophagy and their therapeutic applications. J Zhejiang Univ Sci B 2022; 23:89-101. [PMID: 35187884 DOI: 10.1631/jzus.b2100804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Cancer is the leading cause of death worldwide. Drugs play a pivotal role in cancer treatment, but the complex biological processes of cancer cells seriously limit the efficacy of various anticancer drugs. Autophagy, a self-degradative system that maintains cellular homeostasis, universally operates under normal and stress conditions in cancer cells. The roles of autophagy in cancer treatment are still controversial because both stimulation and inhibition of autophagy have been reported to enhance the effects of anticancer drugs. Thus, the important question arises as to whether we should try to strengthen or suppress autophagy during cancer therapy. Currently, autophagy can be divided into four main forms according to its different functions during cancer treatment: cytoprotective (cell survival), cytotoxic (cell death), cytostatic (growth arrest), and nonprotective (no contribution to cell death or survival). In addition, various cell death modes, such as apoptosis, necrosis, ferroptosis, senescence, and mitotic catastrophe, all contribute to the anticancer effects of drugs. The interaction between autophagy and these cell death modes is complex and can lead to anticancer drugs having different or even completely opposite effects on treatment. Therefore, it is important to understand the underlying contexts in which autophagy inhibition or activation will be beneficial or detrimental. That is, appropriate therapeutic strategies should be adopted in light of the different functions of autophagy. This review provides an overview of recent insights into the evolving relationship between autophagy and cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaoshi Bai
- Jiangsu Cancer Hospital & Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research & the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210009, China.
| | - Yaling Peng
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
| | - Xinyue Ye
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
| | - Zhixian Liu
- Jiangsu Cancer Hospital & Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research & the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Yupeng Li
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
| | - Lingman Ma
- School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China.
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12
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A-24, a steroidal saponin from Allium chinense, induced apoptosis, autophagy and migration inhibition in p53 wild-type and p53-deficient gastric cancer cells. Chem Biol Interact 2021; 348:109648. [PMID: 34506766 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbi.2021.109648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Allium chinense is a vegetable with nutrition and unique flavor, and it is used as traditional Chinese medicine. We previously reported that the active compound A-24 induces apoptosis and autophagy in p53 wild-type gastric cancer cells through the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway. Our present work indicates that A-24 also has a significant proliferation inhibition effect on p53-deficient KATO-III cells, and the p53 status did not affect A-24 induced migration inhibition, but negatively controlled the occurrence of autophagy. We also found that the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) mediated A-24 induced apoptosis is p53-independent. Besides, p-Akt was not downregulated by A-24 in p53-deficient gastric cancer cells. Taken together, our results indicate that A-24 induced apoptosis and autophagy via the ROS-PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway in p53 wild-type gastric cancer cells and through the ROS-mTOR pathway in p53-deficient gastric cancer cells. Our study recommended A-24 as a promising future phytotherapeutic candidate for gastric cancer treatment.
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Abstract
Autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved process necessary to maintain cell homeostasis in response to various forms of stress such as nutrient deprivation and hypoxia as well as functioning to remove damaged molecules and organelles. The role of autophagy in cancer varies depending on the stage of cancer. Cancer therapeutics can also simultaneously evoke cancer cell senescence and ploidy increase. Both cancer cell senescence and polyploidization are reversible by depolyploidization giving rise to the progeny. Autophagy activation may be indispensable for cancer cell escape from senescence/polyploidy. As cancer cell polyploidy is proposed to be involved in cancer origin, the role of autophagy in polyploidization/depolyploidization of senescent cancer cells seems to be crucial. Accordingly, this review is an attempt to understand the complicated interrelationships between reversible cell senescence/polyploidy and autophagy.
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Mukhopadhyay S, Bhutia SK. Trends in CRISPR-Cas9 technology application in cancer. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2021; 178:175-192. [PMID: 33685596 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2020.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The evolution of the CRISPR-Cas9 technology in cancer research has tremendous potential to shape the future of oncology. Although this gene-editing tool's pre-clinical progress is into its nascent stage, there are many unanswered questions regarding health benefits and therapy precision using CRISPR. The application of CRISPR is highly specific, economically sustainable, and is a high throughput technique, but on the other hand, its application involves measured risk of countering the toxic immune response of Cas protein, off-target effects, limitation of delivering the edited cells back into cancer patients. The current chapter highlights the possibilities and perils of the present-day CRISPR engineering in cancer that should highlight CRISPR translation to therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Subhadip Mukhopadhyay
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Medical School, New York, NY, United States.
| | - Sujit Kumar Bhutia
- Department of Life Science, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, Odisha, India.
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15
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Triangular Relationship between p53, Autophagy, and Chemotherapy Resistance. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21238991. [PMID: 33256191 PMCID: PMC7730978 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21238991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Revised: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Chemotherapy and radiation often induce a number of cellular responses, such as apoptosis, autophagy, and senescence. One of the major regulators of these processes is p53, an essential tumor suppressor that is often mutated or lost in many cancer types and implicated in early tumorigenesis. Gain of function (GOF) p53 mutations have been implicated in increased susceptibility to drug resistance, by compromising wildtype anti-tumor functions of p53 or modulating key p53 processes that confer chemotherapy resistance, such as autophagy. Autophagy, a cellular survival mechanism, is initially induced in response to chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and its cytoprotective nature became the spearhead of a number of clinical trials aimed to sensitize patients to chemotherapy. However, increased pre-clinical studies have exemplified the multifunctional role of autophagy. Additionally, compartmental localization of p53 can modulate induction or inhibition of autophagy and may play a role in autophagic function. The duality in p53 function and its effects on autophagic function are generally not considered in clinical trial design or clinical therapeutics; however, ample pre-clinical studies suggest they play a role in tumor responses to therapy and drug resistance. Further inquiry into the interconnection between autophagy and p53, and its effects on chemotherapeutic responses may provide beneficial insights on multidrug resistance and novel treatment regimens for chemosensitization.
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