Figure 9.

Model of cooperation between Ras and the autophagy pathway. Autophagy induction upon Ras-activation limits the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the activation of the ERK pathway. When autophagy is blocked in Ras^V12-expressing cells, ERK is further activated, ROS accumulate and activate the JNK pathway, resulting in cooperative overgrowth of Ras^V12 tissues by cell-autonomous and non–cell autonomous mechanisms. ROS are detected in neighbouring wild-type tissue, and non-cell autonomous activation of autophagy, proliferation, caspase activation and cell death is observed, which might feed back to promote the proliferation and survival of the Ras^V12 cells.