For example, the 3’-UTR of ATG5 mRNA can be bound by miR-137 (115), miR-181a (116), miR-216b (117), miR-30a (118), and miR-153-3p (119) to facilitate ATG5 mRNA degradation, thus sensitizing various cancers, such as pancreatic cancer, gastric cancer, melanoma, chronic myelogenous leukemia, and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), to chemotherapeutic agents by inhibiting protective autophagy. The gene discussed is ATG5; the disease is cancer.