Evaluating the Role of Autophagy in the Tumor Vasculature and as Anti-angiogenic Escape Mechanism

Autophagy is a major degradative pathway in the cell, implicated in cellular homeostasis and stress responses. Numerous studies have demonstrated that cancer cells pirate autophagic pathways for survival in the harsh tumor environment. As such, there is a growing interest in inhibiting autophagy as a potential anti-cancer therapy. However, the rational for targeting autophagy stems from cell-autonomous effects as a tumor cell survival pathway. Conversely, the role of autophagy in the tumor microenvironment, a critical mediator of tumor initiation, progression and response to therapy, have not been extensively explored. The goal of this project is to gain molecular and in vivo insights into the implications of autophagy in the tumor microenvironment: specifically, how autophagy in blood or lymph endothelial cells (EC) is required for (lymph)angiogenesis and reneovascularization to escape therapeutic vascular growth restrictions.

Keywords:Autophagy, angiogenesis, lymph nodes, Tumor microenvironment

Disciplines:Cancer biology