FOXO3a Provides a Quickstep from Autophagy Inhibition to Apoptosis in Cancer Therapy

Abstract

FOXO3a, a member of the Forkhead transcription factor family, has roles in apoptosis and autophagy. In this issue of Developmental Cell, Fitzwalter et al. (2018) describe how the blockade of FOXO3a turnover, which normally occurs through autophagy, sensitizes cancer cells to apoptosis through FOXO3a-mediated stimulation of pro-apoptotic PUMA/BBC3 expression. FOXO3a, a member of the Forkhead transcription factor family, has roles in apoptosis and autophagy. In this issue of Developmental Cell, Fitzwalter et al. (2018) describe how the blockade of FOXO3a turnover, which normally occurs through autophagy, sensitizes cancer cells to apoptosis through FOXO3a-mediated stimulation of pro-apoptotic PUMA/BBC3 expression.