4.7 Review

Small Molecule Inhibitors for Unc-51-like Autophagy-Activating Kinase Targeting Autophagy in Cancer

期刊

出版社

MDPI
DOI: 10.3390/ijms24020953

关键词

Unc-51-like autophagy-activating kinase; kinase inhibitor; autophagy; cancer

向作者/读者索取更多资源

Autophagy is a cellular process that removes damaged components of cells and recycles them as biochemical building blocks. Dysregulation of autophagy has been linked to various diseases, including cancer. In recent years, targeting Unc-51-like autophagy-activating kinase (ULK) inhibitors has emerged as a promising strategy for cancer treatment. This review highlights the recent discoveries and developments in small-molecule ULK inhibitors and their potential as anticancer agents.
Autophagy is a cellular process that removes damaged components of cells and recycles them as biochemical building blocks. Autophagy can also be induced to protect cells in response to intra- and extracellular stresses, including damage to cellular components, nutrient deprivation, hypoxia, and pathogenic invasion. Dysregulation of autophagy has been attributed to various diseases. In particular, autophagy protects cancer cells by supporting tumor cell survival and the development of drug resistance. Understanding the pathophysiological mechanisms of autophagy in cancer has stimulated the research on discovery and development of specific inhibitors targeting various stages of autophagy. In recent years, Unc-51-like autophagy-activating kinase (ULK) inhibitors have become an attractive strategy to treat cancer. This review summarizes recent discoveries and developments in small-molecule ULK inhibitors and their potential as anticancer agents. We focused on structural features, interactions with binding sites, and biological effects of these inhibitors. Overall, this review will provide guidance for using ULK inhibitors as chemical probes for autophagy in various cancers and developing improved ULK inhibitors that would enhance therapeutic benefits in the clinic.

作者

我是这篇论文的作者
点击您的名字以认领此论文并将其添加到您的个人资料中。

评论

主要评分

4.7
评分不足

次要评分

新颖性
-
重要性
-
科学严谨性
-
评价这篇论文

推荐

暂无数据
暂无数据