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Autophagy potential of polyphenols in breast carcinoma: A systematic review.

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Title: Autophagy potential of polyphenols in breast carcinoma: A systematic review.
Authors: Golchin A; Student Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran. Electronic address: Asal.golchin@outlook.com., Teymori Nobari S; Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Electronic address: teymourinobari1994@gmail.com., Maleki M; Department of Biochemistry and Clinical Laboratories, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran. Electronic address: masmaleki58@gmail.com., Yazdani M; Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran; Department of Molecular Pathology, HKC Hospital Laboratory, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Electronic address: yazdanimehdi.g@gmail.com., Yousefi B; Department of Biochemistry and Clinical Laboratories, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; Shohada Clinical Research Development Unit, Shohada Hospital, Tabriz University of Medical Science, Tabriz, Iran. Electronic address: yousefib@tbzmed.ac.ir.
Source: Pathology, research and practice [Pathol Res Pract] 2026 Oct; Vol. 286, pp. 156595. Date of Electronic Publication: 2026 Jul 09.
Publication Type: Journal Article; Systematic Review
Language: English
Journal Info: Publisher: Gustav Fischer Verlag Country of Publication: Germany NLM ID: 7806109 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1618-0631 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 03440338 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Pathol Res Pract Subsets: MEDLINE
Imprint Name(s): Publication: Stuttgart : Gustav Fischer Verlag
Original Publication: Stuttgart, New York, Fischer.
MeSH Terms: Polyphenols*/pharmacology , Polyphenols*/therapeutic use , Autophagy*/drug effects , Breast Neoplasms*/drug therapy , Breast Neoplasms*/pathology , Breast Neoplasms*/metabolism, Signal Transduction/drug effects ; Humans ; Female ; Animals
Abstract: Purpose: This systematic review presents data on the role of polyphenols in autophagy in breast cancer.
Methods: All research on polyphenol-induced autophagy in breast carcinoma was comprehensively searched in the electronic PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, EMBASE, and Google Scholar databases up to January 1, 2025. The keywords were searched using the controlled vocabulary (Medical Subject Headings [MeSH]) with the terms Breast Cancer, polyphenols, and Autophagy. Following the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement, the systematic review and its findings were reported.
Results: Of 742 related publications, a total of 359 items were omitted due to duplication. 58 studies were then manually screened. Ten studies were removed because of insufficient data (n = 6) or not focused on the topic (n = 4). Among the remaining studies (n = 48), 40 in vitro studies were found on breast cell lines and 8 in-vivo studies. Among the in vitro studies, curcumin demonstrated a strong ability to modulate the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, enhancing autophagic flux and reducing cell viability. Resveratrol targeted the AMPK/mTOR signaling axis, showing consistent suppression of cancer stem-like cells and tumor growth inhibition in xenografted models. Carnosol induced autophagy independently of Beclin-1 by degrading STAT3 and downregulating p62, effectively inhibiting metastasis and tumor growth both in vitro and in vivo.
Conclusions: Most reviewed studies describe in vitro results where polyphenols successfully induce autophagy under controlled in vitro conditions. However, this process is very tricky to translate into an in vivo setting and finally into clinical outcomes.
(Copyright © 2026. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)
Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
Contributed Indexing: Keywords: Apoptosis; Autophagy; Breast cancer; Polyphenols
Substance Nomenclature: 0 (Polyphenols)
Entry Date(s): Date Created: 20260720 Date Completed: 20260812 Latest Revision: 20260826
Update Code: 20260826
DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2026.156595
PMID: 42475944
Database: MEDLINE
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  Data: Autophagy potential of polyphenols in breast carcinoma: A systematic review.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Golchin+A%22">Golchin A</searchLink>; Student Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran. Electronic address: Asal.golchin@outlook.com.<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Teymori+Nobari+S%22">Teymori Nobari S</searchLink>; Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Electronic address: teymourinobari1994@gmail.com.<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Maleki+M%22">Maleki M</searchLink>; Department of Biochemistry and Clinical Laboratories, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran. Electronic address: masmaleki58@gmail.com.<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Yazdani+M%22">Yazdani M</searchLink>; Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran; Department of Molecular Pathology, HKC Hospital Laboratory, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Electronic address: yazdanimehdi.g@gmail.com.<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Yousefi+B%22">Yousefi B</searchLink>; Department of Biochemistry and Clinical Laboratories, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; Shohada Clinical Research Development Unit, Shohada Hospital, Tabriz University of Medical Science, Tabriz, Iran. Electronic address: yousefib@tbzmed.ac.ir.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%227806109%22">Pathology, research and practice</searchLink> [Pathol Res Pract] 2026 Oct; Vol. 286, pp. 156595. <i>Date of Electronic Publication: </i>2026 Jul 09.
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  Data: <i>Publisher: </i><searchLink fieldCode="PB" term="%22Gustav+Fischer+Verlag%22">Gustav Fischer Verlag </searchLink><i>Country of Publication: </i>Germany <i>NLM ID: </i>7806109 <i>Publication Model: </i>Print-Electronic <i>Cited Medium: </i>Internet <i>ISSN: </i>1618-0631 (Electronic) <i>Linking ISSN: </i><searchLink fieldCode="IS" term="%2203440338%22">03440338 </searchLink><i>NLM ISO Abbreviation: </i>Pathol Res Pract <i>Subsets: </i>MEDLINE
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  Data: <i>Publication</i>: Stuttgart : Gustav Fischer Verlag<br /><i>Original Publication</i>: Stuttgart, New York, Fischer.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Polyphenols%22">Polyphenols*</searchLink>/<searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Polyphenols+pharmacology%22">pharmacology</searchLink> <br /><searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Polyphenols%22">Polyphenols*</searchLink>/<searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Polyphenols+therapeutic+use%22">therapeutic use</searchLink> <br /><searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Autophagy%22">Autophagy*</searchLink>/<searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Autophagy+drug+effects%22">drug effects</searchLink> <br /><searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Breast+Neoplasms%22">Breast Neoplasms*</searchLink>/<searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Breast+Neoplasms+drug+therapy%22">drug therapy</searchLink> <br /><searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Breast+Neoplasms%22">Breast Neoplasms*</searchLink>/<searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Breast+Neoplasms+pathology%22">pathology</searchLink> <br /><searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Breast+Neoplasms%22">Breast Neoplasms*</searchLink>/<searchLink fieldCode="MM" term="%22Breast+Neoplasms+metabolism%22">metabolism</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="MH" term="%22Signal+Transduction%22">Signal Transduction</searchLink>/<searchLink fieldCode="MH" term="%22Signal+Transduction+drug+effects%22">drug effects</searchLink> ; <searchLink fieldCode="MH" term="%22Humans%22">Humans</searchLink> ; <searchLink fieldCode="MH" term="%22Female%22">Female</searchLink> ; <searchLink fieldCode="MH" term="%22Animals%22">Animals</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Purpose: This systematic review presents data on the role of polyphenols in autophagy in breast cancer.<br />Methods: All research on polyphenol-induced autophagy in breast carcinoma was comprehensively searched in the electronic PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, EMBASE, and Google Scholar databases up to January 1, 2025. The keywords were searched using the controlled vocabulary (Medical Subject Headings [MeSH]) with the terms Breast Cancer, polyphenols, and Autophagy. Following the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement, the systematic review and its findings were reported.<br />Results: Of 742 related publications, a total of 359 items were omitted due to duplication. 58 studies were then manually screened. Ten studies were removed because of insufficient data (n = 6) or not focused on the topic (n = 4). Among the remaining studies (n = 48), 40 in vitro studies were found on breast cell lines and 8 in-vivo studies. Among the in vitro studies, curcumin demonstrated a strong ability to modulate the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, enhancing autophagic flux and reducing cell viability. Resveratrol targeted the AMPK/mTOR signaling axis, showing consistent suppression of cancer stem-like cells and tumor growth inhibition in xenografted models. Carnosol induced autophagy independently of Beclin-1 by degrading STAT3 and downregulating p62, effectively inhibiting metastasis and tumor growth both in vitro and in vivo.<br />Conclusions: Most reviewed studies describe in vitro results where polyphenols successfully induce autophagy under controlled in vitro conditions. However, this process is very tricky to translate into an in vivo setting and finally into clinical outcomes.<br /> (Copyright © 2026. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Competing Interests
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  Data: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
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  Data: <i>Keywords: </i>Apoptosis; Autophagy; Breast cancer; Polyphenols
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