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Autophagy in Cancer Chemoprevention: Identification of Novel Autophagy Modulators with Anticancer Potential

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Cancer Chemoprevention

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 1379))

Abstract

Cancer cells have the ability to tolerate extreme conditions, autophagy-related stress tolerance enables cancer cells to survive by maintaining energy production that leads to cell growth and therapeutic resistance. Insufficient activation of autophagy in nutrient-deprived cancer cells may sensitize cancer cells to a broad array of chemotherapeutic agents and ionizing radiation. Therefore, identification of novel autophagy modulators with lower toxicity and better therapeutic index would be beneficial for cancer therapy. Here, we describe several currently used biochemical methods to assess autophagic activity and lysosomal function in cultured cancer cells. We also discuss both in vitro and in vivo assays to clarify the anticancer potential of novel autophagy modulators.

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Acknowledgement

This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) (21272135 and 81173485) and Overseas High-caliber Personnel Foundation of Shenzhen (KQC201109050084A).

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Correspondence to Naihan Xu .

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© 2016 Springer Science+Business Media New York

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Lao, Y., Xu, N. (2016). Autophagy in Cancer Chemoprevention: Identification of Novel Autophagy Modulators with Anticancer Potential. In: Strano, S. (eds) Cancer Chemoprevention. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 1379. Humana Press, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-3191-0_14

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-3191-0_14

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-3190-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-3191-0

  • eBook Packages: Springer Protocols

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