Autophagy Inducer

MG-132 (Z-Leu-Leu-Leu-al) is a potent proteasome and calpain inhibitor with IC₅₀s of 100 nM and 1.2 μM, respectively. MG-132 effectively blocks the proteolytic activity of the 26S proteasome complex. MG-132, a peptide aldehyde, also is an autophagy activator. MG-132 also induces apoptosis.

Cisplatin (CDDP) is an antineoplastic chemotherapy agent by cross-linking with DNA and causing DNA damage in cancer cells. Cisplatin activates ferroptosis and induces autophagy.

Rapamycin (Sirolimus; AY 22989) is a potent and specific blood-brain barrier-transmissible mTOR inhibitor with an IC₅₀ of 0.1 nM in HEK293 cells. Rapamycin is a molecular glue that binds FKBP12 and mTOR proteins together, thereby inhibiting mTOR kinase activity. Rapamycin binds to FKBP12 and specifically acts as an allosteric inhibitor of mTORC1. Rapamycin is an autophagy activator, an immunosuppressant.

Tamoxifen (ICI 47699) is an orally active, selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) which blocks estrogen action in breast cells and can activate estrogen activity in other cells, such as bone, liver, and uterine cells. Tamoxifen is a potent Hsp90 activator and enhances the Hsp90 molecular chaperone ATPase activity. Tamoxifen also potent inhibits infectious EBOV Zaire and Marburg (MARV) with IC₅₀ of 0.1 μM and 1.8 μM, respectively. Tamoxifen activates autophagy and induces apoptosis. Tamoxifen can also be dissolved in corn oil (HY-Y1888) for use in inducing gene knockout in CreER transgenic mice. Tamoxifen has better solubility in corn oil compared to Tamoxifen Citrate (HY-13757).

Dexamethasone (Hexadecadrol) is a glucocorticoid receptor agonist, apoptosis inducer, and common disease inducer in experimental animals, constructing models of muscle atrophy, hypertension, and depression. Dexamethasone can inhibit the production of inflammatory miRNA-155 exosomes in macrophages and significantly reduce the expression of inflammatory factors in neutrophils and monocytes. Dexamethasone also has potential for use in COVID-19 research.

Y-27632 is a ROCK inhibitor with K_i values of 220 nM and 300 nM for ROCK1 and ROCK2, respectively. Y-27632 exerts anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects in systemic lupus erythematosus models by inhibiting the ROCK/NF-κB pathway. Y-27632 enhances autophagy by inhibiting the AKT/mTOR pathway, thereby inducing apoptosis apoptosis in oral squamous cell carcinoma. Y-27632 induces the formation of tunneling nanotubes in ARPE-19 cells and significantly enhances mitochondrial transfer through these channels. Y-27632 promotes neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells by activating the Rac1/NOX1/ROS/AKT/PAK1 signaling cascade.

Doxorubicin hydrochloride (Hydroxydaunorubicin hydrochloride; ADR), a cytotoxic anthracycline antibiotic, is an anti-cancer chemotherapy agent. Doxorubicin hydrochloride is a potent human DNA topoisomerase I and topoisomerase II inhibitor with IC₅₀s of 0.8 μM and 2.67 μM, respectively. Doxorubicin hydrochloride reduces basal phosphorylation of AMPK and its downstream target acetyl-CoA carboxylase. Doxorubicin hydrochloride induces apoptosis and autophagy.

Forskolin (Coleonol) is a potent adenylate cyclase activator with an IC₅₀ of 41 nM and an EC₅₀ of 0.5 μM for type I adenylyl cyclase. Forskolin is also an inducer of intracellular cAMP formation. Forskolin induces differentiation of various cell types and activates pregnane X receptor (PXR) and FXR. Forskolin exerts a inotropic effect on the heart, and has platelet antiaggregatory and antihypertensive actions. Forskolin also induces autophagy.

Laduviglusib (CHIR-99021) is a potent, selective and orally active GSK-3α/β inhibitor with IC₅₀s of 10 nM and 6.7 nM. Laduviglusib shows >500-fold selectivity for GSK-3 over CDC2, ERK2 and other protein kinases. Laduviglusib is also a potent Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway activator. Laduviglusib enhances mouse and human embryonic stem cells self-renewal. Laduviglusib induces autophagy.

Paclitaxel is a naturally occurring antineoplastic agent and stabilizes tubulin polymerization. Paclitaxel can cause both mitotic arrest and apoptotic cell death. Paclitaxel also induces autophagy.

Olaparib (AZD2281; KU0059436) is a potent and orally active PARP inhibitor with IC₅₀s of 5 and 1 nM for PARP1 and PARP2, respectively. Olaparib is an autophagy and mitophagy activator. Olaparib cannot cross the intact blood-brain barrier (BBB).

Venetoclax (ABT-199; GDC-0199) is a highly potent, selective and orally bioavailable Bcl-2 inhibitor with a K_i of less than 0.01 nM. Venetoclax induces autophagy.

Etoposide (VP-16; VP-16-213) is an anti-cancer chemotherapy agent. Etoposide inhibits topoisomerase II, thus stopping DNA replication. Etoposide induces cell cycle arrest, apoptosis and autophagy.

Metformin (1,1-Dimethylbiguanide) inhibits the mitochondrial respiratory chain in the liver, leading to AMPK activation and enhancing insulin sensitivity, and can be used in the study of type 2 diabetes. Metformin exerts central glucose-lowering effects by inhibiting Ras-related protein 1 (Rap1) in SF1 hypothalamic neurons. Metformin also inhibits liver oxidative stress, nitrosative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis caused by liver ischemia/reperfusion injury. In addition, Metformin regulates the expression of autophagy-related proteins by activating AMPK and inhibiting the mTOR signaling pathway, thereby inducing tumor cell autophagy and inhibiting the growth of renal cell carcinoma in vitro and in vivo.

Trametinib (GSK1120212; JTP-74057) is an orally active MEK inhibitor that inhibits MEK1 and MEK2 with IC₅₀s of about 2 nM. Trametinib activates autophagy and induces apoptosis, cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB), used in research related to subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH).

Gemcitabine (LY 188011) is a pyrimidine nucleoside analog antimetabolite and an antineoplastic agent. Gemcitabine inhibits DNA synthesis and repair, and can modulate autophagy. Gemcitabine induces apoptosis through the activation of p38 MAPK. Gemcitabine demonstrates efficacy in mouse models of pancreatic and breast cancer. Gemcitabine can be used for cancer research, such as pancreatic cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, and breast cancer.

Ruxolitinib (INCB18424) is an orally active and selective JAK1/2 inhibitor with IC₅₀s of 3.3 nM and 2.8 nM in cell-free assays, and has 130-fold selectivity for JAK1/2 over JAK3. Ruxolitinib induces autophagy and kills tumor cells through toxic mitophagy.

Streptozotocin (Streptozocin; STZ) is an antibiotic widely used in experimental animal models of induced diabetes. Streptozotocin enters B cells via the glucose transporter (GLUT2) and causes the alkylation of DNA ( DNA-methylating ). Streptozotocin can induce the apoptosis of β cells.

BAY 11-7082 is an IκBα phosphorylation and NF-κB inhibitor. BAY 11-7082 selectively and irreversibly inhibits the TNF-α-induced phosphorylation of IκB-α, and decreases NF-κB and expression of adhesion molecules. BAY 11-7082 inhibits ubiquitin-specific protease USP7 and USP21 (IC₅₀=0.19, 0.96 μM, respectively). BAY 11-7082 inhibits gasdermin D (GSDMD) pore formation in liposomes and inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis and IL-1β secretion in human and mouse cells.

Temozolomide (NSC 362856) is an oral active DNA alkylating agent that crosses the blood-brain barrier. Temozolomide is also a proautophagic and proapoptotic agent. Temozolomide is effective against tumor cells that are characterized by low levels of O6-alkylguanine DNA alkyltransferase (OGAT) and a functional mismatch repair system. Temozolomide has antitumor and antiangiogenic effects.