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Updated: Jul 8, 2025
Sensitive Measurement of Mitophagy by Flow Cytometry Using the pH-dependent Fluorescent Reporter mt-Keima
Published on: August 12, 2018
Natural compounds modulating mitophagy: Implications for cancer therapy
Min Cao1, Yancheng Tang2, Yufei Luo1
1School of Biomedical Sciences, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082, China; Hunan Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Molecular Medicine, School of Biomedical Sciences, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082, Hunan Province, China.
Abstract:
Cancer is considered as the second leading cause of mortality, and cancer incidence is still growing rapidly worldwide, which poses an increasing global health burden. Although chemotherapy is the most widely used treatment for cancer, its effectiveness is limited by drug resistance and severe side effects. Mitophagy is the principal mechanism that degrades damaged mitochondria via the autophagy/lysosome pathway to maintain mitochondrial homeostasis. Emerging evidence indicates that mitophagy plays crucial roles in tumorigenesis, particularly in cancer therapy. Mitophagy can exhibit dual effects in cancer, with both cancer-inhibiting or cancer-promoting function in a context-dependent manner. A variety of natural compounds have been found to affect cancer cell death and display anticancer properties by modulating mitophagy. In this review, we provide a systematic overview of mitophagy signaling pathways, and examine recent advances in the utilization of natural compounds for cancer therapy through the modulation of mitophagy. Furthermore, we address the inquiries and challenges associated with ongoing investigations concerning the application of natural compounds in cancer therapy based on mitophagy. Overcoming these limitations will provide opportunities to develop novel interventional strategies for cancer treatment.
Insights
Natural compounds targeting mitophagy, a key cellular process for degrading damaged mitochondria, show promise for improving cancer therapy by overcoming drug resistance and side effects.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Cell Biology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Cancer remains a leading cause of mortality with increasing global incidence.
- Chemotherapy's efficacy is hampered by drug resistance and severe side effects.
- Mitophagy, the selective degradation of damaged mitochondria, is crucial for cellular homeostasis and implicated in cancer development and treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review mitophagy signaling pathways.
- To examine the role of natural compounds in modulating mitophagy for cancer therapy.
- To address challenges and opportunities in developing mitophagy-based cancer treatments.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of mitophagy pathways and their role in cancer.
- Analysis of studies on natural compounds affecting mitophagy and cancer cell death.
- Discussion of current research limitations and future directions.
Main Results:
- Mitophagy plays a context-dependent dual role in cancer, potentially inhibiting or promoting tumor growth.
- Natural compounds can modulate mitophagy, exhibiting anticancer properties.
- Evidence suggests potential for natural compounds in cancer therapy via mitophagy modulation.
Conclusions:
- Mitophagy modulation by natural compounds offers a promising avenue for novel cancer therapeutics.
- Further research is needed to overcome limitations and develop effective mitophagy-based strategies.
- Targeting mitophagy presents opportunities for innovative cancer treatment interventions.
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