Autophagy-related mechanisms for treatment of multiple myeloma

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Cell Biology
• Molecular Medicine

Background:

• Multiple myeloma (MM) is a malignant B-cell hematological cancer.
• Current MM treatments include proteasome inhibitors, immunomodulators, and DNA-damaging agents.
• Autophagy, a cell death pathway, critically impacts MM cell survival and treatment efficacy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and evaluate autophagy mechanisms relevant to MM cells.
• To discuss genes, signaling pathways, and drug targets involved in autophagy and MM.
• To assess the efficacy of autophagy-regulating drugs and clinical trials in MM treatment.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of autophagy mechanisms in MM.
• Analysis of the role of unfolded protein response (UPR), bone marrow microenvironment (BMME), drug resistance, hypoxia, DNA repair, and apoptosis.
• Examination of gene functions and research efforts related to autophagy in MM.
• Evaluation of drug efficacy and clinical trial data for autophagy modulators in MM.

Main Results:

• Autophagy can either promote MM progression or hinder treatment, depending on the context.
• Specific autophagy mechanisms and associated genes show potential for therapeutic intervention in MM.
• New drug targets and signaling pathways are identified to leverage autophagy for MM treatment.
• Clinical trials demonstrate the efficacy of certain autophagy-regulating drugs in MM.

Conclusions:

• Certain autophagy mechanisms are identified as most suitable for MM treatment.
• 3D models and microfluidic systems are crucial for discovering novel autophagy drugs and enabling personalized MM therapy.
• This review provides a comprehensive overview of autophagy's role in MM, guiding future research and clinical applications.