Summary
In this episode of The Drive podcast, host Peter Atia speaks with Professor Eileen White about her work on etaf AG, a fundamental pillar of health and maintenance of health that is often discussed in the context of fasting. White's research focuses on the regulation of etaf AG, its role in preventing and treating disease (especially cancer), and its importance in metabolic health and preventing Alzheimer's disease. The discussion covers the importance of autophagy in cancer cells and how it is optimized for growth rather than metabolism. Fasting is one of the most potent stimulators of autophagy and is important in delaying the onset of chronic diseases, which is key to living longer.
The conversation then shifts to targeting autophagy in cancer therapy. Studies have shown that K-Ras driven lung cancer and pancreatic cancer are particularly dependent on autophagy, while other types of cancer may not be as responsive to autophagy blockade. The inability to measure autophagy signatures in patients is a significant hurdle in using nutrient deprivation as a tool for disease prevention and treatment. The speaker discusses the benefits of fasting and the importance of understanding its effects on the body. They suggest that a consortium of people with various skill sets could work together to fund research on fasting and its efficacy.
The context also discusses the importance of improving metabolic health to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, Alzheimer's disease, and complications of diabetes. Fasting is a way to improve metabolic health, but the role of autophagy in this process is not fully understood. The future of research on autophagy involves developing small molecule inhibitors for cancer therapy and understanding the metabolic role of autophagy in individual cancers. The connection between autophagy and inflammation could also be a game-changer in cancer therapy.
The podcast also discusses a patient who underwent surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy for cancer, but all treatments failed. However, the patient went on a clinical trial for immune checkpoint blockade, and all the tumors melted away, and the patient is now disease-free for five years. The discussion then moves on to the importance of inhibiting law tapa G to activate the immune response and facilitate response to immune checkpoint blockade.
Overall, the episode delves into the complex role of autophagy in cancer and disease prevention, the benefits and challenges of fasting, and the potential for future research to identify new targets for anti-cancer therapy or signatures of metabolic problems.
