BECN1 and cancer: As integrin αvβ3-overexpressing cancer cells recognize RGD sequence, PPBR nanoparticles, composed of polydopamine nanoparticle conjugated with Beclin 1 peptide, polyethylene glycol (PEG) and cyclic RGD, improves photothermal killing efficacy in breast cancer cells in an autophagy-dependent manner; PPBR nanoparticles suppresses the growth of near-infrared irradiated breast cancer xenografts more efficiently than nanoparticles without RGD (Zhou et al., 2019).