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Wu Y, Wang A, Feng G, Pan X, Shuai W, Yang P, Zhang J, Ouyang L, Luo Y, Wang G. Autophagy modulation in cancer therapy: Challenges coexist with opportunities. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 276:116688. [PMID: 39033611 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2024.116688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2024] [Revised: 07/08/2024] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024]
Abstract
Autophagy, a crucial intracellular degradation process facilitated by lysosomes, plays a pivotal role in maintaining cellular homeostasis. The elucidation of autophagy key genes and signaling pathways has significantly advanced our understanding of this process and has led to the exploration of autophagy as a promising therapeutic approach. This review comprehensively assesses the latest developments in small molecule modulators targeting autophagy. Moreover, the review delves into the most recent strategies for drug discovery, specifically focusing on selective agents that exploit autophagosomes and lysosomes for targeted protein degradation. Additionally, this article highlights the prevailing challenges and outlines potential future advancements in the field. By amalgamating the cutting-edge knowledge in the field, we aim to offer valuable insights and references for the anti-cancer drug development of autophagy-targeted therapies, thus contributing to the advancement of novel therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongya Wu
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Innovation Center of Nursing Research, Nursing Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Department of Orthopedics, Orthopedic Research Institute, West China Hospital, West China School of Nursing, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Aoxue Wang
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Innovation Center of Nursing Research, Nursing Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Department of Orthopedics, Orthopedic Research Institute, West China Hospital, West China School of Nursing, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Guotai Feng
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Innovation Center of Nursing Research, Nursing Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Department of Orthopedics, Orthopedic Research Institute, West China Hospital, West China School of Nursing, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Xiaoli Pan
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Innovation Center of Nursing Research, Nursing Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Department of Orthopedics, Orthopedic Research Institute, West China Hospital, West China School of Nursing, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Wen Shuai
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Innovation Center of Nursing Research, Nursing Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Department of Orthopedics, Orthopedic Research Institute, West China Hospital, West China School of Nursing, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Panpan Yang
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Innovation Center of Nursing Research, Nursing Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Department of Orthopedics, Orthopedic Research Institute, West China Hospital, West China School of Nursing, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Innovation Center of Nursing Research, Nursing Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Department of Orthopedics, Orthopedic Research Institute, West China Hospital, West China School of Nursing, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Liang Ouyang
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Innovation Center of Nursing Research, Nursing Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Department of Orthopedics, Orthopedic Research Institute, West China Hospital, West China School of Nursing, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Yi Luo
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Innovation Center of Nursing Research, Nursing Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Department of Orthopedics, Orthopedic Research Institute, West China Hospital, West China School of Nursing, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
| | - Guan Wang
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Innovation Center of Nursing Research, Nursing Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Department of Orthopedics, Orthopedic Research Institute, West China Hospital, West China School of Nursing, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
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Wang Y, Luo S, Su H, Wang Z, Chu L, Zhang C. BL-918 activates PINK1/Parkin signaling pathway to ameliorate the progression of Parkinson's disease. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:107543. [PMID: 38992440 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2024] [Revised: 06/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024] Open
Abstract
The pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD) has been associated with mitochondrial dysfunction. Given that the PINK1/Parkin pathway governs mitochondrial quality control by inducing mitophagy to remove damaged mitochondria, therapeutic approaches to activate PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy have the potential in the treatment of PD. Here, we have identified a new small molecule, BL-918, as an inducer of mitophagy via activating the PINK1/Parkin pathway. BL-918 triggers PINK1 accumulation and Parkin mitochondrial translocation to initiate PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy. We found that mitochondrial membrane potential and mitochondrial permeability transition pore were involved in BL-918-induced PINK1/Parkin pathway activation. Moreover, we showed that BL-918 mitigated PD progression in MPTP-induced PD mice in a PINK1-dependent manner. Our results unravel a new activator of the PINK1/Parkin signaling pathway and provide a potential strategy for the treatment of PD and other diseases with dysfunctional mitochondria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China; State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Siyuan Luo
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Huili Su
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China; State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhimeng Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China; State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
| | - Ling Chu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
| | - Conggang Zhang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China; State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
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Jiang M, Wu W, Xiong Z, Yu X, Ye Z, Wu Z. Targeting autophagy drug discovery: Targets, indications and development trends. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 267:116117. [PMID: 38295689 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.116117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Revised: 12/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
Autophagy plays a vital role in sustaining cellular homeostasis and its alterations have been implicated in the etiology of many diseases. Drugs development targeting autophagy began decades ago and hundreds of agents were developed, some of which are licensed for the clinical usage. However, no existing intervention specifically aimed at modulating autophagy is available. The obstacles that prevent drug developments come from the complexity of the actual impact of autophagy regulators in disease scenarios. With the development and application of new technologies, several promising categories of compounds for autophagy-based therapy have emerged in recent years. In this paper, the autophagy-targeted drugs based on their targets at various hierarchical sites of the autophagic signaling network, e.g., the upstream and downstream of the autophagosome and the autophagic components with enzyme activities are reviewed and analyzed respectively, with special attention paid to those at preclinical or clinical trials. The drugs tailored to specific autophagy alone and combination with drugs/adjuvant therapies widely used in clinical for various diseases treatments are also emphasized. The emerging drug design and development targeting selective autophagy receptors (SARs) and their related proteins, which would be expected to arrest or reverse the progression of disease in various cancers, inflammation, neurodegeneration, and metabolic disorders, are critically reviewed. And the challenges and perspective in clinically developing autophagy-targeted drugs and possible combinations with other medicine are considered in the review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengjia Jiang
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, China Jiliang University, China
| | - Wayne Wu
- College of Osteopathic Medicine, New York Institute of Technology, USA
| | - Zijie Xiong
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, China Jiliang University, China
| | - Xiaoping Yu
- Department of Biology, China Jiliang University, China
| | - Zihong Ye
- Department of Biology, China Jiliang University, China
| | - Zhiping Wu
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, China Jiliang University, China.
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Chen Y, Tan X, Zhang W, Li Y, Deng X, Zeng J, Huang L, Ma X. Natural products targeting macroautophagy signaling in hepatocellular carcinoma therapy: Recent evidence and perspectives. Phytother Res 2024; 38:1623-1650. [PMID: 38302697 DOI: 10.1002/ptr.8103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), presently the second leading cause of global cancer-related mortality, continues to pose significant challenges in the realm of medical oncology, impacting both clinical drug selection and mechanistic research. Recent investigations have unveiled autophagy-related signaling as a promising avenue for HCC treatment. A growing body of research has highlighted the pivotal role of autophagy-modulating natural products in inhibiting HCC progression. In this context, we provide a concise overview of the fundamental autophagy mechanism and delineate the involvement of autophagic signaling pathways in HCC development. Additionally, we review pertinent studies demonstrating how natural products regulate autophagy to mitigate HCC. Our findings indicate that natural products exhibit cytotoxic effects through the induction of excessive autophagy, simultaneously impeding HCC cell proliferation by autophagy inhibition, thereby depriving HCC cells of essential energy. These effects have been associated with various signaling pathways, including PI3K/AKT, MAPK, AMPK, Wnt/β-catenin, Beclin-1, and ferroautophagy. These results underscore the considerable therapeutic potential of natural products in HCC treatment. However, it is important to note that the present study did not establish definitive thresholds for autophagy induction or inhibition by natural products. Further research in this domain is imperative to gain comprehensive insights into the dual role of autophagy, equipping us with a better understanding of this double-edged sword in HCC management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiyue Tan
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Wenwen Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Yubing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Xinyu Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Jinhao Zeng
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
- TCM Regulating Metabolic Diseases Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Lihua Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiao Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
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Fan Z, Wan LX, Jiang W, Liu B, Wu D. Targeting autophagy with small-molecule activators for potential therapeutic purposes. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 260:115722. [PMID: 37595546 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/20/2023]
Abstract
Autophagy is well-known to be a lysosome-mediated catabolic process for maintaining cellular and organismal homeostasis, which has been established with many links to a variety of human diseases. Compared with the therapeutic strategy for inhibiting autophagy, activating autophagy seems to be another promising therapeutic strategy in several contexts. Hitherto, mounting efforts have been made to discover potent and selective small-molecule activators of autophagy to potentially treat human diseases. Thus, in this perspective, we focus on summarizing the complicated relationships between defective autophagy and human diseases, and further discuss the updated progress of a series of small-molecule activators targeting autophagy in human diseases. Taken together, these inspiring findings would provide a clue on discovering more small-molecule activators of autophagy as targeted candidate drugs for potential therapeutic purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhichao Fan
- Center of Infectious Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Lin-Xi Wan
- Key Laboratory of Drug-Targeting and Drug Delivery System of the Education Ministry and Sichuan Province, Sichuan Engineering Laboratory for Plant-Sourced Drug and Sichuan Research Center for Drug Precision Industrial Technology, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Wei Jiang
- Center of Infectious Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Bo Liu
- Center of Infectious Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
| | - Dongbo Wu
- Center of Infectious Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
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Zhou L, Chen W, Jiang S, Xu R. In Vitro Models of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Cell Mol Neurobiol 2023; 43:3783-3799. [PMID: 37870685 DOI: 10.1007/s10571-023-01423-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023]
Abstract
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is one of the commonest neurodegenerative diseases of adult-onset, which is characterized by the progressive death of motor neurons in the cerebral cortex, brain stem and spinal cord. The dysfunction and death of motor neurons lead to the progressive muscle weakness, atrophy, fasciculations, spasticity and ultimately the whole paralysis of body. Despite the identification of several genetic mutations associated with the pathogenesis of ALS, including mutations in chromosome 9 open reading frame 72 leading to the abnormal expansion of GGGGCC repeat sequence, TAR DNA-binding protein 43, fused in sarcoma/translocated in liposarcoma, copper/zinc superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) and TANK-binding kinase 1, the exact mechanisms underlying the specific degeneration of motor neurons that causes ALS remain incompletely understood. At present, since the transgenic model expressed SOD1 mutants was established, multiple in vitro models of ALS have been developed for studying the pathology, pathophysiology and pathogenesis of ALS as well as searching the effective neurotherapeutics. This review reviewed the details of present established in vitro models used in studying the pathology, pathophysiology and pathogenesis of ALS. Meanwhile, we also discussed the advantages, disadvantages, cost and availability of each models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijun Zhou
- Department of Neurology, Jiangxi Provincial People's Hospital, Clinical College of Nanchang Medical College, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang Medical College, Xiangya Hospital of Central South University Jiangxi Hospital, National Regional Medical Center for Neurological Diseases, No. 266 Fenghe North Avenue, Honggutan District, Nanchang, 330008, Jiangxi, China
- Medical College of Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330006, China
| | - Wenzhi Chen
- Department of Neurology, Jiangxi Provincial People's Hospital, Clinical College of Nanchang Medical College, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang Medical College, Xiangya Hospital of Central South University Jiangxi Hospital, National Regional Medical Center for Neurological Diseases, No. 266 Fenghe North Avenue, Honggutan District, Nanchang, 330008, Jiangxi, China
| | - Shishi Jiang
- Department of Neurology, Jiangxi Provincial People's Hospital, Clinical College of Nanchang Medical College, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang Medical College, Xiangya Hospital of Central South University Jiangxi Hospital, National Regional Medical Center for Neurological Diseases, No. 266 Fenghe North Avenue, Honggutan District, Nanchang, 330008, Jiangxi, China
- Medical College of Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330006, China
| | - Renshi Xu
- Department of Neurology, Jiangxi Provincial People's Hospital, Clinical College of Nanchang Medical College, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang Medical College, Xiangya Hospital of Central South University Jiangxi Hospital, National Regional Medical Center for Neurological Diseases, No. 266 Fenghe North Avenue, Honggutan District, Nanchang, 330008, Jiangxi, China.
- Medical College of Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330006, China.
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Sinha RA. Autophagy: A Cellular Guardian against Hepatic Lipotoxicity. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:553. [PMID: 36874473 PMCID: PMC7614268 DOI: 10.3390/genes14030553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Lipotoxicity is a phenomenon of lipid-induced cellular injury in nonadipose tissue. Excess of free saturated fatty acids (SFAs) contributes to hepatic injury in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which has been growing at an unprecedented rate in recent years. SFAs and their derivatives such as ceramides and membrane phospholipids have been shown to induce intrahepatic oxidative damage and ER stress. Autophagy represents a cellular housekeeping mechanism to counter the perturbation in organelle function and activation of stress signals within the cell. Several aspects of autophagy, including lipid droplet assembly, lipophagy, mitophagy, redox signaling and ER-phagy, play a critical role in mounting a strong defense against lipotoxic lipid species within the hepatic cells. This review provides a succinct overview of our current understanding of autophagy-lipotoxicity interaction and its pharmacological and nonpharmacological modulation in treating NAFLD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rohit Anthony Sinha
- Department of Endocrinology, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow 226014, India
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