The "stone-like" pattern of autophagy in human epithelial tumors and tumor-like lesions: an approach to the clinical outcome

Autophagy
Efthimios SivridisMichael I Koukourakis

Abstract

Cancer cells survive the adverse conditions of the extracellular milieu, i.e., hypoxia and nutrient deprivation, through angiogenesis and anaerobic glycolysis. Yet, continuously proliferating malignant cells, having high metabolic needs, may not be fully covered by these processes and seek additional sources of energy. An alternative metabolic pathway for providing energy in tumor cells is autophagy-a self-degradation mechanism by which cells recycle their own cytoplasmic constituents. Given that the clinical impact of this phenomenon on human malignancies remains by and large unexplored, we investigated morphological patterns of autophagy primarily in breast carcinomas and, subsequently, in a series of other epithelial tumors and tumor-like lesions from various organs and cell types. The microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3A (MAP1-LC3A) antibody and a standard immunohistochemical technique were used. Three main patterns of autophagic activity were recognized: diffuse cytoplasmic, cytoplasmic/juxta-nuclear and "stone-like" structures (SLS); the latter are dense, spheroidal, amorphous structures, of 5 microm average size, typically enclosed within cytosolic vacuoles. Normal tissues, in the proximity of malignant tumors...Continue Reading

Citations

Apr 19, 2011·Modern Pathology : an Official Journal of the United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology, Inc·Alexandra N GiatromanolakiEfthimios L Sivridis
Oct 8, 2014·Taiwanese Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology·Keng-Fu HsuSoon-Cen Huang
Aug 13, 2015·Lung Cancer : Journal of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer·Alexandra GiatromanolakiMichael I Koukourakis
Dec 12, 2012·APMIS : Acta Pathologica, Microbiologica, Et Immunologica Scandinavica·Georgia KarpathiouAlexandra Giatromanolaki
Mar 28, 2013·Histopathology·Michael I KoukourakisEfthimios Sivridis
Aug 13, 2015·BMC Cancer·Shereen El-MashedSharon L McKenna
Jun 22, 2013·Urologic Oncology·Alexandra GiatromanolakiMichael I Koukourakis
May 15, 2013·Hematology/oncology and Stem Cell Therapy·Alexandra GiatromanolakiEfthimios Sivridis
Oct 28, 2016·Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences·Rupert LangerPaul E Swanson
Feb 18, 2014·The Anatomical Record : Advances in Integrative Anatomy and Evolutionary Biology·Wenjun LiaoMin Shi
Apr 13, 2019·Head and Neck Pathology·Efthimios SivridisAlexandra Giatromanolaki
Jan 19, 2012·Clinical Cancer Research : an Official Journal of the American Association for Cancer Research·Chandra B LebovitzSharon M Gorski

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Autophagy & Metabolism

Autophagy preserves the health of cells and tissues by replacing outdated and damaged cellular components with fresh ones. In starvation, it provides an internal source of nutrients for energy generation and, thus, survival. A powerful promoter of metabolic homeostasis at both the cellular and whole-animal level, autophagy prevents degenerative diseases. It does have a downside, however--cancer cells exploit it to survive in nutrient-poor tumors.

Autophagy & Model Organisms

Autophagy is a cellular process that allows degradation by the lysosome of cytoplasmic components such as proteins or organelles. Here is the latest research on autophagy & model organisms

Cancer Metabolic Reprogramming (Keystone)

Cancer metabolic reprogramming is important for the rapid growth and proliferation of cancer cells. Cancer cells have the ability to change their metabolic demands depending on their environment, regulated by the activation of oncogenes or loss of tumor suppressor genes. Here is the latest research on cancer metabolic reprogramming.

Parkinson's Disease & Autophagy (MDS)

Autophagy leads to degradation of damaged proteins and organelles by the lysosome. Impaired autophagy has been implicated in several diseases. Here is the role of autophagy in Parkinson’s disease.

Autophagy & Aging: Inhibitors

The feed focuses on the role of nuclear export inhibitors and their effect on autophagy and the aging process.

Cancer Metabolic Reprogramming

Cancer metabolic reprogramming is important for the rapid growth and proliferation of cancer cells. Cancer cells have the ability to change their metabolic demands depending on their environment, regulated by the activation of oncogenes or loss of tumor suppressor genes. Here is the latest research on cancer metabolic reprogramming.

Cancer Metabolism

In order for cancer cells to maintain rapid, uncontrolled cell proliferation, they must acquire a source of energy. Cancer cells acquire metabolic energy from their surrounding environment and utilize the host cell nutrients to do so. Here is the latest research on cancer metabolism.

Autophagy & Disease

Autophagy is an important cellular process for normal physiology and both elevated and decreased levels of autophagy are associated with disease. Here is the latest research.

Angiogenesis Inhibitors to Treat Cancer

Cancer treatments including angiogenesis inhibitors prevent tumor cells from receiving nutrients and oxygen. Here is the latest research on angiogenesis inhibitors for the treatment of cancer.