Esteve JM, Knecht E. Mechanisms of autophagy and apoptosis: Recent developments in breast cancer cells.
World J Biol Chem 2011;
2:232-8. [PMID:
22031846 PMCID:
PMC3202127 DOI:
10.4331/wjbc.v2.i10.232]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2011] [Revised: 09/26/2011] [Accepted: 10/03/2011] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Autophagy, the pathway whereby cell components are degraded by lysosomes, is involved in the cell response to environmental stresses, such as nutrient deprivation, hypoxia or exposition to chemotherapeutic agents. Under these conditions, which are reminiscent of certain phases of tumor development, autophagy either promotes cell survival or induces cell death. This strengthens the possibility that autophagy could be an important target in cancer therapy, as has been proposed. Here, we describe the regulation of survival and death by autophagy and apoptosis, especially in cultured breast cancer cells. In particular, we discuss whether autophagy represents an apoptosis-independent process and/or if they share common pathways. We believe that understanding in detail the molecular mechanisms that underlie the relationships between autophagy and apoptosis in breast cancer cells could improve the available treatments for this disease.
Collapse