The Mechanism of Glutamine activating autophagy exacerbates muscle loss in cancer-associated cachexia

Acta Universitatis Medicinalis Anhui 2025, 11, v.60 2182-2186     font:big middle small

Found programs: National Natural Science Foundation of China ( No . 82374376) ; Engineering Special Fund of Taishan Scholar Program (No . tsn202408382) ; China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (No . 2023M732136)

Authors:Ma Dufang1 , 2 , Wang Yong2 , Tian Zhihan1 , Su Xiaoyu1 , Qi Yuanfu3

Keywords:cancer-associated cachexia; skeletal muscle wasting;glutamine; autophagy; mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1; AMP-activated protein kinase;

DOI:10.19405/j.cnki.issn1000-1492.2025.11.026

〔Abstract〕 Cachexia is one of the serious complications in patients with end-stage cancer.Progressive depletion of skeletal muscle is an important feature of cachexia.Previous studies have found that excessive activation of autophagy accelerates skeletal muscle wasting in cachexia,and glutamine released from excessive catabolism of muscle tissue can trigger the autophagy.Mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1(mTORC1) and AMP-activated protein kinase(AMPK) signaling regulate autophagy genesis;moreover,glutamine regulates the mTORC1 and AMPK signaling pathways.Therefore,it is deduced that higher level of glutamine may result in abnormal autophagy by regulating mTORC1 and AMPK in cancer cachexia,which contributes to the development of skeletal muscle wasting.Here,this review discusses the following three perspectives:firstly,autophagy hyperactivation is involved in skeletal muscle wasting in cancer cachexia.Secondly,how mTORC1 and AMPK signaling pathways regulate autophagy.Finally,glutamine is involved in skeletal muscle wasting in cancer cachexia by induced autophagy hyperactivation via regulating mTORC1/AMPK signaling.Our study will provide a scientific basis for the development of potential therapeutic strategies.