The present invention relates to the finding that vault RNAs (vtRNA) associate with p62, an important factor of cellular autophagy. The invention provides the modulation of the binding of vtRNA to p62 as a novel strategy to influence autophagic flux in cells. Thus, the present invention provides inhibitors of vtRNA for use in the treatment of diseases associated with a pathological reduced or insufficient autophagy in cells, such as cancer and neurodegenerative disorders. Further provided are methods for screening novel therapeutic compounds modulating autophagy via the p62/vtRNA axis.
