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Diet, autophagy, and cancer: a review

Keith Singletary1, John Milner

  • 1Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA. kws@illinois.edu

Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention : a Publication of the American Association for Cancer Research, Cosponsored by the American Society of Preventive Oncology
|July 17, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Dietary factors influence cancer by affecting cell death pathways like apoptosis and autophagy. Understanding how food components impact autophagy is crucial for cancer prevention and treatment strategies.

Area of Science:

  • Cellular Biology
  • Oncology
  • Nutritional Science

Background:

  • Dietary factors significantly impact cellular processes, influencing cancer risk and tumor progression.
  • Cancer cell death can occur via apoptosis (Type I) or non-apoptotic pathways like macroautophagy (Type II) and necrosis (Type III).
  • Macroautophagy's role in cell fate is complex, potentially promoting either survival or death under stress.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review current knowledge on the interplay between bioactive food constituents, autophagy, and cancer.
  • To identify gaps in understanding how dietary components affect cancer through autophagy.
  • To explore the dual role of autophagy in cancer development and progression.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies investigating dietary factors and autophagy in cancer.
  • Analysis of research on specific bioactive food components (e.g., vitamin D, selenium, curcumin, resveratrol, genistein).
  • Examination of evidence regarding autophagy induction by these components.

Main Results:

  • Several bioactive food components stimulate autophagy vacuolization.
  • The precise impact of induced autophagy (pro-tumorigenic or anti-tumorigenic) is often unclear.
  • Existing research highlights the complexity of dietary influences on cancer via autophagy.

Conclusions:

  • Further research is needed to elucidate the complex relationship between dietary components, autophagy, and cancer.
  • Investigating dose, duration, and tissue specificity is essential.
  • Studies using transgenic and knockout models are required to understand the physiological implications of autophagy modulation by diet.

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