title: Therapeutic Targeting of Autophagy.
abstract: Autophagy is a catabolic process that facilitates nutrient recycling via degradation of damaged organelles and proteins through lysosomal mediated degradation. Alterations in this complex, and tightly regulated process, lead to disease. Autophagy is widely accepted as cytoprotective against neurodegenerative diseases and a variety of clinical interventions are moving forward to increase autophagy as a therapeutic intervention. Autophagy has both positive and negative roles in cancer and this has led to controversy over whether or how autophagy manipulation should be attempted in cancer therapy. Nevertheless, cancer is the disease where most current activity in trying to manipulate autophagy for therapy is taking place and dozens of clinical trials are using autophagy inhibition with Chloroquine or Hydroxychloroquine in combination with other drugs for the treatment of multiple neoplasms. Here, we review recent literature implicating autophagy in neurodegenerative diseases and cancer and highlight some of the opportunities, controversies and potential pitfalls of therapeutically targeting autophagy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, 12801 E. 17th Ave, Aurora, CO 80045, USA.
authors.forename: Christina G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Towers
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, 12801 E. 17th Ave, Aurora, CO 80045, USA. Electronic address: Andrew.Thorburn@ucdenver.edu.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Thorburn
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001343:Autophagy / Q000187:drug effects*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D019636:Neurodegenerative Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors
keywords: Autophagy; Cancer; Clinical trials; Neurodegenerative disease