MicroRNA Regulation of Autophagy in Cancer Cells
Summary
Autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved catabolic process whereby cells sequester cytoplasmic components within double‐membrane vesicles, termed autophagosomes, for lysosomal degradation and recycling. In cancer, autophagy has a dual role: it may suppress tumour initiation by removing damaged organelles and proteins, yet in established malignancies it often promotes survival under stress and contributes to therapy resistance. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non‐coding RNA molecules that fine‐tune gene expression post‐transcriptionally by binding to target messenger RNAs. A growing body of research has revealed that miRNAs regulate key autophagy‐related genes (ATGs) and signalling pathways such as PI3K/AKT/mTOR. Dysregulation of these miRNAs can shift the balance between cell death and survival, influencing tumour growth, metastasis and response to chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Understanding the network of miRNA–autophagy interactions offers new opportunities for biomarker development and therapeutic intervention aimed at modulating autophagic flux in cancer cells.
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MicroRNA Regulation of Autophagy in Cancer Cells publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in microrna regulation of autophagy in cancer cells across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Autophagy: A conserved intracellular degradation process involving sequestration of cytoplasmic material in autophagosomes and subsequent lysosomal breakdown to maintain cellular homeostasis.
MicroRNA (miRNA): Small (~22 nucleotides), non‐coding RNA molecules that regulate gene expression by base‐pairing with target mRNAs, leading to translational repression or degradation.
Autophagosome: A double‐membrane vesicle that engulfs cellular components destined for degradation, later fusing with a lysosome to form an autolysosome.
ATG (Autophagy‐related gene): A member of a gene family essential for various stages of autophagosome formation, maturation and degradation.
mTOR (mechanistic target of rapamycin): A serine/threonine kinase that acts as a central regulator of cell growth and autophagy, inhibited under nutrient deprivation to activate autophagic pathways.
References
- The emerging roles of miRNA-mediated autophagy in ovarian cancer. Cell Death & Disease (2024).
- MicroRNAs as the critical regulators of autophagy-mediated cisplatin response in tumor cells. Cancer Cell International (2023).
- Autophagy-Regulating microRNAs and Cancer. Frontiers in Oncology (2017).
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