Fig. 3

The regulation of autophagy to affect radiosensitivity involves a complex network of signaling pathway. Ionizing radiation (IR) and c-Jun inhibition activate the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway and inhibit autophagy, while PTEN, LKB1, and MEK/ERK mediated AMPK activation induces autophagy by blocking PI3K and mTOR activation. IR inhibits Wnt signaling and enhances autophagy through p62 disinhibition. ROS mediated signaling pathways (such as Nrf2/CaMKIIα, ERS, and NF-κB) can either facilitate or repress autophagy. IR-induced DNA damage triggers autophagy via the activation of ATM-related pathways. The modulation of autophagy by these signaling pathways further contributes to the enhancement or attenuation of resistance in cancer radiotherapy