Research Progress on the Role of the Autophagy-Lysosome Pathway in Tumorigenesis, Metastasis, and Therapy

Abstract

The autophagy lysosome pathway is a highly conserved intracellular degradation system in eukaryotes that is precisely regulated by autophagy related genes (ATGs). It serves an indispensable role in maintaining cellular homeostasis, and its dysregulation is closely associated with inflammation, neurodegenerative diseases, and tumors. This pathway exhibits a complex dual role in tumorigenesis and progression: during tumor initiation, activated autophagy suppresses tumor development. During tumor metastasis, autophagy shows spatiotemporal specificity. In the early stage, it inhibits epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) to exert anti metastatic effects. In the late stage, it supplies energy for metastatic cells and promotes distant colonization, thereby exerting pro metastatic functions. This paper systematically reviews the dual roles and molecular mechanisms of the autophagy lysosome pathway in tumorigenesis and metastasis, discusses the prospects of targeted therapies against this pathway, and provides a theoretical basis for the precise treatment of malignant tumors including hepatocellular carcinoma.