Tumor Cell Metabolism And Autophagy As Therapeutic Targets

Autophagy and Metabolism: Potential Target for Cancer Therapy presents updates on autophagy in cancer metabolism and how it can be used to develop new, more efficient treatments. Written by experts in the field, the book presents recent research and explains how to translate it to the clinical setting. Sections discuss tumor cell metabolism and autophagy as therapeutic targets, autophagy regulation in cancer, signaling pathways in metabolic dysregulation in solid tumors, metabolic stress and cell death pathways, and the role of the tumor microenvironment. In addition, topics cover combined targeting autophagy, metabolism for cancer therapy, and the autophagy effect on immune cell metabolism. This will be a valuable resource for researchers, oncologists, graduate students, and members of the biomedical field who are interested in learning more about the interaction between autophagy and cancer metabolism. Presents valuable and updated information on the mechanisms of autophagy in cancer metabolism Discusses the various metabolic pathways linked with autophagy that can be a major target for chemotherapeutic strategies Explains how autophagy supports tumor growth by activating metabolic phenotypes in cancer cells and the therapeutic interventions available to halt the process

This book illustrates various aspects of cancer cell metabolism, including metabolic regulation in solid tumours vs. non-solid tumours, the molecular pathways involved in its metabolism, and the role of the tumour microenvironment in the regulation of cancer cell metabolism. It summarizes the complexity of cancer cell metabolism in terms of the switch from anaerobic to aerobic glycolysis and how mitochondrial damage promotes aerobic glycolysis in cancer cells. The respective chapters provide the latest information on the metabolic remodelling of cancer cells and elucidate the important role of the signalling pathways in reprogramming of cancer cell metabolism. In addition, the book highlights the role of autophagy in cancer cell metabolism, and how metabolic crosstalk between cancer cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts promotes cancer cell progression. In closing, it summarizes recent advancements in drug development through targeting cancer metabolism.

This book illustrates various aspects of cancer cell metabolism, including metabolic regulation in solid tumours vs. non-solid tumours, the molecular pathways involved in its metabolism, and the role of the tumour microenvironment in the regulation of cancer cell metabolism. It summarizes the complexity of cancer cell metabolism in terms of the switch from anaerobic to aerobic glycolysis and how mitochondrial damage promotes aerobic glycolysis in cancer cells. The respective chapters provide the latest information on the metabolic remodelling of cancer cells and elucidate the important role of the signalling pathways in reprogramming of cancer cell metabolism. In addition, the book highlights the role of autophagy in cancer cell metabolism, and how metabolic crosstalk between cancer cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts promotes cancer cell progression. In closing, it summarizes recent advancements in drug development through targeting cancer metabolism.

With the explosion of information on autophagy in cancer, this is an opportune time to speed the efforts to translate our current knowledge about autophagy regulation into better understanding of its role in cancer. This book will cover the latest advances in this area from the basics, such as the molecular machinery for autophagy induction and regulation, up to the current areas of interest such as modulation of autophagy and drug discovery for cancer prevention and treatment. The text will include an explanation on how autophagy can function in both oncogenesis and tumor suppression and a description of its function in tumor development and tumor suppression through its roles in cell survival, cell death, cell growth as well as its influences on inflammation, immunity, DNA damage, oxidative stress, tumor microenvironment, etc. The remaining chapters will cover topics on autophagy and cancer therapy. These pages will serve as a description on how the pro-survival function of autophagy may help cancer cells resist chemotherapy and radiation treatment as well as how the pro-death functions of autophagy may enhance cell death in response to cancer therapy, and how to target autophagy for cancer prevention and therapy − what to target and how to target it. ​

In this volume, the major metabolic alterations identified in cancer and tumor-associated cells are explored, including discussions of former and emerging approaches to drug development in targeting cancer cell metabolism. The metabolic network in cells promotes the generation of both energy and biomass needed for them to grow, divide and differentiate. However, the metabolism of malignant cells generally varies from that of normal cells. These differences provide a platform for the discovery of new approaches to targeting potential vulnerabilities in cancer cells for therapeutic options Some of the significant changes that occur involve ATP production and consumption that modulates the ATP to ADP ratio, hypoxia and the effects of reactive oxygen species on glycolysis, regulation of mitochondrial respiration, induction and suppression of autophagy, and the Warburg effect and “reverse” Warburg effect--these topics and more are discussed in this volume.

This book deals with the paradoxical role of autophagy in tumor suppression and tumor promotion in cancer cells. Autophagy plays opposing, context-dependent roles in tumors; accordingly, strategies based on inhibiting or stimulating autophagy could offer as potential cancer therapies. The book elucidates the physiological role of autophagy in modulating cancer metastasis, which is the primary cause of cancer-associated mortality. Further, it reviews its role in the differentiation, development, and activation of multiple immune cells, and its potential applications in tumor immunotherapy. In addition, it examines the effect of epigenetic modifications of autophagy-associated genes in regulating tumor growth and therapeutic response and summarizes autophagy’s role in the development of resistance to a variety of anti-cancer drugs in cancer cells. In closing, it assesses autophagy as a potential therapeutic target for cancer treatment. Given its scope, the book offers a valuable asset for all oncologists and researchers who wish to understand the potential role of autophagy in tumor biology.

The collection of chapters in this proceeding volume reflects the latest research presented at the Aegean meeting on Tumor Microenvironment and Cellular Stress held in Crete in Fall of 2012. The book provides critical insight to how the tumor microenvironment affects tumor metabolism, cell stemness, cell viability, genomic instability and more. Additional topics include identifying common pathways that are potential candidates for therapeutic intervention, which will stimulate collaboration between groups that are more focused on elucidation of biochemical aspects of stress biology and groups that study the pathophysiological aspects of stress pathways or engaged in drug discovery.