Regulation of Autophagy via Carbohydrate and Lipid Metabolism in Cancer

SIMPLE SUMMARY: The metabolism of carbohydrates and lipids is essential to meet the diverse needs of cells. The autophagy cellular pathway is crucial for normal cellular function through its ability to target and degrade damaged organelles and misfolded proteins. Autophagy also provides cells with necessary energy as an end product. Cancer cells have a high rate of proliferation and, thus, require more energy compared to normal cells. Not surprisingly, cancer cells are highly dependent on these metabolic pathways. This review provides an in-depth review of recent research findings on how carbohydrate and lipid metabolism regulate autophagy and how this impacts cancer cells. ABSTRACT: Metabolic changes are an important component of tumor cell progression. Tumor cells adapt to environmental stresses via changes to carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. Autophagy, a physiological process in mammalian cells that digests damaged organelles and misfolded proteins via lysosomal degradation, is closely associated with metabolism in mammalian cells, acting as a meter of cellular ATP levels. In this review, we discuss the changes in glycolytic and lipid biosynthetic pathways in mammalian cells and their impact on carcinogenesis via the autophagy pathway. In addition, we discuss the impact of these metabolic pathways on autophagy in lung cancer.