Fucoidan as an Autophagy Regulator: Mechanisms and Therapeutic Potentials for Cancer and Other Diseases

Fucoidan, a natural polysaccharide with a variety of classical bioactivities mainly sourced from brown algae, has been extensively studied owing to its favorable pharmacological effects, including anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, anticoagulant and liver protection. Recently it has been found to play a regulatory role in the processes of autophagy. Autophagy is an important cellular process that effectively protects cells and organisms from stimulating factors such as nutrient deficiency, low cellular ATP levels, metabolic stress, growth factor deprivation and hypoxic conditions. In recent years, many studies have shown that fucoidan can treat human diseases by regulating autophagy process though cell signaling pathways. In this review, we summarize the latest progress in the discovery of natural autophagy regulator of fucoidan for the therapeutic application in cardiac diseases, cancers and liver diseases, aiming to provide the new pharmacological application that fucoidan may treat human diseases by regulating autophagy. Furthermore, we look forward to seeing more diseases that would be treated by autophagy modulator of fucoidan and the discovery of more elaborate autophagy regulation mechanism.