ATG7-deficient fibroblast promotes breast cancer progression via exosome-mediated downregulation of SCARB1.

ABSTRACT: Although autophagy-related gene 7 (ATG7) acts as an E1-like activating enzyme and is essential for autophagy, it frequently performs broader roles involved in the modulation of diverse signaling pathways that affect cell proliferation, survival, migration and transformation. ATG7 is often downregulated in various cancers. However, the role of ATG7 in fibroblasts in regulating breast carcinoma remains poorly understood. Herein, we revealed that aberrantly low expression of ATG7 in breast stroma is clinically relevant to breast cancer progression. Loss of ATG7 expression results in fibroblasts acquiring the hallmarks of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), which finally promote the proliferation, metastasis of breast cancer in vivo and vitro. Detailed regulatory mechanisms showed that ATG7-

SUBMITTER: Li K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12289893 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature