Autophagy and disease

Question 1

What are 3 types of diseases related to defects in autophagy?

Answer 1

1. Neurodegenerative disease
2. Inflammatory diseases
3. Cancer

Question 2

Why does normal autophagy help protect against a variety of diseases?

Answer 2

It clears out damaged organelles and protein aggregates, preventing them from becoming toxic to cells

Question 3

Why can autophagy also be a problem in diseases?

Answer 3

It increases the survival and drug resistance of cancer cells, and too much autophagy can lead to healthy cells dying when they aren’t supposed to

Question 4

What are 2 features of cells with defective autophagy?

Answer 4

Disorganized mitochondria with little function and protein aggregates forming

Question 5

How are mutations in Beclin 1 related to disease?

Answer 5

Common mutation in breast and ovarian cancer. Autophagosomes can’t form, so autophagic flux is reduced

Question 6

How are mutations in ATG5 and ATG7 related to disease?

Answer 6

Autophagosomes can’t form properly, so autophagic flux is reduced. Leads to neurodegenerative diseases in mice

Question 7

How can autophagy help reduce cancer?

Answer 7

Helps in the early stages of tumour suppression by removing damaged organelles and growth factors. Removing these helps reduce chromosomal instability

Question 8

How can autophagy promote the progression of cancer?

Answer 8

Autophagy allows cancer cells to recycle nutrients and use them to keep growing. It promotes their survival and allows them to survive under low nutrient conditions and resist anti-cancer drugs