Table 1 Agents/small molecules of linking autophagy to inflammasomes in cancers

Silibinin

Breast cancer (MDA-MB-231)

Impairment of mitochondrial dynamics;

Reduction of ROS generation and inhibition of NLRP3 inflammasome

Reduction of migration and invasion of tumor cell

[89]

Brain cancer (A172, SR)

Inhibition of the mTOR pathway and upregulation of LC3 II expression

Increased apoptosis (amplified by autophagy inhibition)

[91]

Salivary gland cancer (ACC-M)

Enhancement of LC3 expression

Inhibition of tumor cell proliferation and metastasis

[92]

Ergosterol peroxide

Non-small cell lung cancer (A549)

ROS-mediated autophagy and apoptosis;

Inhibition of NLRP3 inflammasome;

Downregulation of EGFR, Akt1, mTOR, and NF-κB

Increased apoptosis (amplified by autophagy inhibition)

[93]

Poly-amidoamine

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2)

ROS-mediated autophagy and apoptosis;

Activation of autophagy by inhibition of Akt/mTOR pathway;

Upregulation of Inflammasome-related gene

Increased apoptosis (amplified by autophagy inhibition)

[94]

Coptisine

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2,

MHCC97-L)

Activation of autophagy through Beclin-1 and inhibition of mTOR signaling (by Berberine, structural homology of Coptisine)

Anti-cancer effect

[99]

Bone marrow-derived macrophage, THP-1, Murine 3T3L-1

Inhibition of NLRP3 inflammasome via AMPK-dependent autophagy activation (by Berberine, structural homology of Coptisine)

Anti-inflammatory effect in adipose tissue macrophages

[101]

Curcumim

Melanoma (A375,C8161)

Inhibition of the Akt/mTOR/p70S6K pathway; autophagy activation

Anti-cancer effect

[96]

Mesothelioma (LP9, HMESO, H2595, H2461)

Activation of NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis via ROS-dependent manner;

Downregulation of NLRP3 inflammasome-related genes

Anti-cancer effect; Inhibition of inflammation

[98]

Resveratrol

Skin cancer (A431)

Aberration of autophagy and inhibition of autolysosome formation;

Inhibition of mTORC2 by downregulation of Rictor expression

Preventive effect against tumorigenesis

[103]

Colon cancer (HT-20,COLO201)

ROS-mediated activation of caspase-3, casepase-8, and elevation of LC3 II

Anti-cancer effect

[104]

Human aortic endothelium

Reduction of intracellular ROS via autophagy through AMPK-mTOR

Protective autophagy

[106]

Spinal cord

Activation of AMPK; inhibition of mTOR signaling pathway

Neuroprotective autophagy

[107]

Spinal cord

Upregulation of SIRT1, p-AMPK, Beclin-1, LC3-B, and Bcl-2 expression

Neuroprotective autophagy

[108]

Human peritoneal mesothelium

Activation of the AMPK pathway and inhibition of NLRP3 inflammasome in ROS stress condition of PMCs

Inhibition of peritoneal inflammation

[109]

GL-V9

Colon cancer, THP-1, bone marrow-derived macrophages

Activation of AMPK-ULK1 pathway;

Degradation of NLRP3 inflammasome via autophagy

Protective effect against colitis; inhibition of colitis-induced cancer

[110]

Andrographo-lide

Colon cancer, THP-1, peritoneal macrophage, bone marrow-derived macrophage

Inhibition of PI3K/Akt1/mTOR/S6 kinase 1 pathway;

Interruption of NLRP3 inflammasome assembly

Protective effect against colitis; inhibition of colitis-induced cancer

[111]