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Autophagy Induced by Photodynamic Therapy (PDT): Shaping Resistance Against Cell Death and Anti-Tumor Immunity

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Resistance to Photodynamic Therapy in Cancer

Part of the book series: Resistance to Targeted Anti-Cancer Therapeutics ((RTACT,volume 5))

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Abstract

Autophagy is one of the main catabolic pathways in a eukaryotic cell, utilized for cellular self-degradation in order to support recycling and replenishing of biomolecular resources crucial for cell growth and survival. Autophagy is inherently a cytoprotective and prosurvival process yet in general, it has become clear through a number of studies that autophagy has a highly contextual role in cancer biology; depending on which stage, site or type of tumorigenesis or therapy intervention one is looking at the role of autophagy may end up varying from pro- to anti-tumorigenic. Several studies have shown that, depending on the photosensitizer under consideration, autophagy activated by PDT either contributes to therapy resistance (by suppressing cell death) or susceptibility (by facilitating autophagic cell death). Beyond cell death modulation, cancer cell-associated autophagy also assists in resistance against PDT by suppressing anticancer immune effector mechanisms. In this chapter, we have summarized the current state-of-the-art and the existing gap-in-knowledge concerning PDT-induced autophagy in cancer therapy susceptibility and resistance.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by grants from the Fund for Scientific Research Flanders (FWO-Vlaanderen; G.0661.09, G.0728.10 and G.0584.12N) and KU Leuven (GOA/11/009) to P.A.; A.D.G is a recipient of the FWO postdoctoral fellowship 2013. This paper presents research results of the IAP7/32, funded by the Interuniversity Attraction Poles Programme, initiated by the Belgian State, Science Policy Office.

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  1. Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Cell Death Research and Therapy (CDRT) Unit, University of Leuven (KULeuven), Campus Gasthuisberg, O&N1, Herestraat 49, Box 802, 3000, Leuven, Belgium

    Dr. Abhishek D. Garg & Prof. Patrizia Agostinis

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  1. Dr. Abhishek D. Garg
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  2. Prof. Patrizia Agostinis
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Correspondence to Abhishek D. Garg .

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  1. Medical and Biological Sciences, University of Udine, Udine, Italy

    Valentina Rapozzi

  2. Prof. Ghiretti, Universita Padova Ist. Biologia Animale, Padova, Italy

    Giulio Jori

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Garg, A., Agostinis, P. (2015). Autophagy Induced by Photodynamic Therapy (PDT): Shaping Resistance Against Cell Death and Anti-Tumor Immunity. In: Rapozzi, V., Jori, G. (eds) Resistance to Photodynamic Therapy in Cancer. Resistance to Targeted Anti-Cancer Therapeutics, vol 5. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-12730-9_4

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