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Revisiting autophagy addiction of tumor cells

Beat Nyfeler1, Christina H Eng2

  • 1a Department of Developmental and Molecular Pathways , Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research , Basel , Switzerland.

Autophagy
|April 21, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Autophagy is not essential for KRAS-driven tumors, contrary to previous beliefs. The study also found that chloroquine

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Cell Biology
  • Cancer Therapeutics

Background:

  • Autophagy inhibition is a studied cancer therapy.
  • Tumor characteristics influence autophagy response.
  • KRAS-mutated tumors were thought to rely on autophagy for metabolic stress.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of autophagy in KRAS-driven tumors.
  • To determine if autophagy is essential for KRAS-driven tumor growth.
  • To clarify the mechanism of chloroquine's anti-tumor effects.

Main Methods:

  • In vitro and in vivo experiments.
  • Genetic manipulation to inhibit autophagy.
  • Treatment with chloroquine.

Main Results:

  • Autophagy is dispensable for KRAS-driven tumor growth.
  • Chloroquine's anti-tumor effects are independent of autophagy inhibition.
  • KRAS-driven tumors do not rely on macroautophagy.

Conclusions:

  • Autophagy is not required for KRAS-driven tumor progression.
  • Chloroquine's therapeutic effects in cancer are not mediated by autophagy inhibition.
  • Caution is advised when using chloroquine to study autophagy in cancer.
Keywords:
ATG7KRASautophagycancerchloroquine

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