Autophagy and multidrug resistance in cancer

• Published in: Ai zheng Vol. 36; no. 8; pp. 342 - 351
• Main Authors: Li, Ying‐Jie, Lei, Yu‐He, Yao, Nan, Wang, Chen‐Ran, Hu, Nan, Ye, Wen‐Cai, Zhang, Dong‐Mei, Chen, Zhe‐Sheng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London BioMed Central 24.06.2017; BioMed Central Ltd; John Wiley & Sons, Inc; Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine & Natural Products, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, Guangdong, P.R.China%Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine & Natural Products, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, Guangdong, P.R.China; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St.John's University, Queens, NY 11439, USA; BMC
• Subjects: Amino acids; Antineoplastic Agents - therapeutic use; Apoptosis; Apoptosis - drug effects; Autophagy; Autophagy (Cytology); Autophagy - drug effects; Autophagy - genetics; Autophagy;Drug; Cancer; Cancer therapies; Care and treatment; Cell death; Cell growth; Cell survival; Chemotherapy; death; Diagnosis; Drug resistance; Drug resistance in microorganisms; Drug Resistance, Multiple - genetics; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm - genetics; Endoplasmic reticulum; Enzymes; Fatty acids; Homeostasis; Humans; Hypoxia; Kinases; Lung cancer; Multidrug resistant organisms; Nanoparticles; Neoplasms; Neoplasms - drug therapy; Neoplasms - genetics; Neoplasms - pathology; Ovarian cancer; Proteins; Recycling; resistance;Neoplasms;Cell; Review; survival;Cell; Cell survival; Drug resistance; Cell death; Autophagy; Neoplasms
• ISSN: 1000-467X; 2523-3548; 1944-446X; 1944-446X; 2523-3548
• DOI: 10.1186/s40880-017-0219-2

Multidrug resistance (MDR) occurs frequently after long-term chemotherapy, resulting in refractory cancer and tumor recurrence. Therefore, combatting MDR is an important issue. Autophagy, a self-degradative system, universally arises during the treatment of sensitive and MDR cancer. Autophagy can be a double-edged sword for MDR tumors: it participates in the development of MDR and protects cancer cells from chemotherapeutics but can also kill MDR cancer cells in which apoptosis pathways are inactive. Autophagy induced by anticancer drugs could also activate apoptosis signaling pathways in MDR cells, facilitating MDR reversal. Therefore, research on the regulation of autophagy to combat MDR is expanding and is becoming increasingly important. We summarize advanced studies of autophagy in MDR tumors, including the variable role of autophagy in MDR cancer cells.