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Complex Interplay between DNA Damage and Autophagy in Disease and Therapy

Aman Singh1, Naresh Ravendranathan1, Jefferson C Frisbee1

  • 1Department of Medical Biophysics, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond Street North, London, ON N6A 5C1, Canada.

Biomolecules
|August 29, 2024
PubMed

Insights

This review explores how modulating autophagy, a cellular recycling process, can enhance cancer therapy and reduce doxorubicin (Dox) side effects. It also examines autophagy's role in DNA repair, especially concerning BRCA1/2 mutations.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Cellular Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Cancer is a complex disease driven by genetic and environmental factors.
  • Doxorubicin (Dox) is an effective chemotherapy but causes dose-dependent toxicity.
  • Autophagy, a cellular degradation process, is implicated in cancer and neurodegenerative diseases.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the relationship between cancer, doxorubicin (Dox) toxicity, and autophagy modulation.
  • To explore the role of autophagy in DNA damage repair pathways.
  • To investigate the implications of autophagy in BRCA1/2-mutated cancers.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of existing research on cancer, autophagy, doxorubicin, and DNA repair.
  • Analysis of the interplay between autophagy, DNA damage, and BRCA1/2 genes.
  • Synthesis of evidence on therapeutic targeting of autophagy in cancer treatment.

Main Results:

  • Autophagy dysregulation contributes to cancer progression and drug resistance.
  • Modulating autophagy may enhance chemotherapy efficacy and reduce side effects.
  • Autophagy is linked to DNA damage repair, with potential relevance to BRCA1/2 mutations.

Conclusions:

  • Targeting autophagy presents a promising strategy for improving cancer therapy outcomes.
  • Understanding autophagy's role in DNA repair could lead to novel therapeutic approaches for BRCA1/2-mutated cancers.
  • Further research is needed to fully elucidate the therapeutic potential of autophagy modulation in oncology.
Keywords:
BRCA1/2DNA damageautophagycancerdoxorubicin

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