EMAP-II up-regulated the expression of the proteins LC3-II/I, ATG7 and ATG5, but down-regulated P62/SQSTM1 expression in the U-87 and U-251 glioma cells, demonstrating that the antitumor activity results from the induction of autophagy, not apoptosis. The gene discussed is ATG7; the disease is central nervous system cancer.