Ramoni D, Carbone F, Montecucco F. Navigating the autophagic landscape: Epigenetic modulation in gastrointestinal cancer. World J Gastroenterol 2024; 30(31): 3628-3634 [PMID: 39192999 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v30.i31.3628]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Fabrizio Montecucco, MD, PhD, Full Professor, Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, University of Genoa and IRCSS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, 6 Viale Benedetto XV, Genoa 16132, Italy. fabrizio.montecucco@unige.it
Research Domain of This Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Article-Type of This Article
Editorial
Open-Access Policy of This Article
This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Davide Ramoni, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, Genoa 16132, Italy
Federico Carbone, Fabrizio Montecucco, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa and IRCSS Policlinico San Martino, Genoa 16132, Italy
Author contributions: Ramoni D performed the conceptualization and writing of the original draft; Carbone F and Montecucco F provided supervision and edited the entire work; All authors have read and approved the final manuscript.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Fabrizio Montecucco, MD, PhD, Full Professor, Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, University of Genoa and IRCSS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, 6 Viale Benedetto XV, Genoa 16132, Italy. fabrizio.montecucco@unige.it
Received: March 20, 2024 Revised: July 18, 2024 Accepted: July 23, 2024 Published online: August 21, 2024 Processing time: 145 Days and 18.5 Hours
Abstract
This editorial comments on the manuscript by Chang et al, focusing on the still elusive interplay between epigenetic regulation and autophagy in gastrointestinal diseases, particularly cancer. Autophagy, essential for cellular homeostasis, exhibits diverse functions ranging from cell survival to death, and is particularly implicated in physiological gastrointestinal cell functions. However, its role in pathological backgrounds remains intricate and context-dependent. Studies underscore the dual nature of autophagy in cancer, where its early suppressive effects in early stages are juxtaposed with its later promotion, contributing to chemoresistance. This discrepancy is attributed to the dysregulation of autophagy-related genes and their intricate involvement in cellular processes. Epigenetic modifications and regulations of gene expression, including non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), emerge as critical players in exerting regulatory control over autophagy flux, influencing treatment responses and tumor progression. Targeting epigenetic mechanisms and improving strategies involving the inhibition or induction of autophagy through pharmacological or genetic means present potential avenues to sensitize tumor cells to chemotherapy. Additionally, nanocarrier-based delivery of ncRNAs offers innovative therapeutic approaches. Understanding the intricate interaction between autophagy and ncRNA regulation opens avenues for the development of targeted therapies, thereby improving the prognosis of gastrointestinal malignancies with poor outcomes.
Core Tip: Understanding the intricate interplay between autophagy, epigenetics, and non-coding RNA (ncRNA) regulation in gastrointestinal (GI) cancers is crucial for devising effective therapeutic interventions. Autophagy exhibits a dual role in cancer progression, impacting treatment response rates, and its modulation through epigenetic alterations and ncRNA regulation offers promising avenues for targeted therapies. Developing strategies to manipulate autophagy, particularly via epigenetic mechanisms and nanocarrier-based ncRNA delivery systems, holds immense potential to enhance the effectiveness of chemotherapy and improve outcomes in GI malignancies.
