Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 16, 2025
09:51
Author Spotlight: A Selective Luciferase-Based Assay for Monitoring ATG4B 27 Activity in Cells
Published on: June 30, 2023
1.2K
Chaperone Mediated Autophagy Substrates and Components in Cancer
Javiera Rios1, Alvaro Sequeida1, Amelina Albornoz2,3
1Molecular and Cellular Pathology Laboratory, Dentistry Faculty, Institute in Dentistry Sciences, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.
Frontiers in Oncology
|March 1, 2021
Summary
Chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA) is a key cellular process. This review examines if targeting CMA components, like Lamp2A and Hsc70, or CMA activity can halt cancer progression, considering their complex roles.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Molecular Biology
- Oncology
Background:
- Chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA) is a distinct lysosomal degradation pathway.
- CMA is independent of vesicle formation, unlike other autophagy types.
- Alterations in CMA components (Hsc70, Lamp2A) are noted in cancer cells.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the role of CMA activity and its components in cancer progression.
- To analyze the association between CMA component levels and CMA activity in various cancers.
- To determine if CMA is a viable therapeutic target for cancer treatment.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies on CMA in cancer.
- Analysis of evidence linking CMA component expression to CMA activity.
- Evaluation of the independent roles of Lamp2A and Hsc70 in cancer.
Main Results:
- Changes in Hsc70 and Lamp2A levels do not always correlate with CMA activity.
- The biological significance of CMA component alterations varies by cancer type.
- Lamp2A and Hsc70 may have roles in cancer progression independent of CMA activity.
Conclusions:
- The role of CMA in cancer is complex and context-dependent.
- Targeting CMA activity or components requires careful consideration of individual cancer types.
- Further research is needed to clarify the independent roles of Lamp2A and Hsc70 in cancer therapy.
Related Concept Videos
01:27Autophagy
5.3K
Autophagy is a self-digesting process by which a cell protects itself from threats both within and outside the cell, ranging from abnormal proteins to invading bacteria. In this process, obsolete components of the cell and invading microbes are degraded by hydrolytic enzymes active in an acidic environment of the lysosomal lumen.
An autophagic pathway consists of a series of signaling events activated in response to diverse stress and physiological conditions such as food deprivation,...
An autophagic pathway consists of a series of signaling events activated in response to diverse stress and physiological conditions such as food deprivation,...
5.3K
01:36Delivery Pathways to the Lysosome
8.4K
Eukaryotic cells use different mechanisms to eliminate toxic waste obsolete and worn-out substances. Lysosomes play a pivotal role in this, and hence, these substances are carried to the lysosome from other parts of the cell and extracellular space through different pathways. The most elaborately studied pathways to the lysosome are the endocytic pathways.
Endocytosis
In endocytosis, the cell membrane takes up macromolecules and particles from the surrounding medium. Clathrin-mediated...
Endocytosis
In endocytosis, the cell membrane takes up macromolecules and particles from the surrounding medium. Clathrin-mediated...
8.4K
03:03mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression
4.1K
The mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR protein was discovered in 1994 due to its direct interaction with rapamycin. The protein gets its name from a yeast homolog called TOR. The mTOR protein complex in mammalian cells plays a major role in balancing anabolic processes such as the synthesis of proteins, lipids, and nucleotides and catabolic processes, such as autophagy in response to environmental cues, such as availability of nutrients and growth factors.
The mTOR pathway or the...
The mTOR pathway or the...
4.1K
01:18Autophagic Cell Death
3.7K
Christian de Duve discovered “autophagy,” a process in which cellular components are engulfed by membrane-bound organelles called autophagosomes. The autophagosomes then fuse with lysosomes to digest the enclosed contents. Autophagy is generally activated in cells to prevent cell death. However, cell death is triggered when the damage is beyond repair.
Autophagy and Apoptosis
Autophagy can activate apoptosis. In normal conditions, the autophagy activating protein Beclin-1 and...
Autophagy and Apoptosis
Autophagy can activate apoptosis. In normal conditions, the autophagy activating protein Beclin-1 and...
3.7K
01:31The Intrinsic Apoptotic Pathway
7.4K
Internal cellular stress, such as cellular injury or hypoxia, triggers intrinsic apoptosis. The B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) family of proteins are the primary regulators of the intrinsic apoptotic pathway. For example, during DNA damage, checkpoint proteins, such as Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated (ATM protein) and Checkpoints Factor-2 (Chk2) proteins, are activated. These proteins phosphorylate p53 which further activates pro-apoptotic proteins, such as Bax, Bak, PUMA, and Noxa, and inhibits...
7.4K
02:53Adaptive Mechanisms in Cancer Cells
6.1K
Cancer cells accumulate genetic changes at an abnormally rapid rate due to the defects in the DNA repair mechanisms. From an evolutionary perspective, such genetic instability is advantageous for cancer development. Mutant cell lines accumulate a series of beneficial mutations that contribute to their progression into cancer.
Some of the advantages that cancer cells have on normal cells include - enhanced ability to divide without terminally differentiating, induce new blood vessel formation,...
Some of the advantages that cancer cells have on normal cells include - enhanced ability to divide without terminally differentiating, induce new blood vessel formation,...
6.1K