Telomeres : Implications for cancer development
Bernal Martínez, Aina (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Biologia Cel·lular, de Fisiologia i d'Immunologia)
Tusell Padrós, Laura (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Biologia Cel·lular, de Fisiologia i d'Immunologia)

Date:	2018
Abstract:	Telomeres facilitate the protection of natural ends of chromosomes from constitutive exposure to the DNA damage response (DDR). This is most likely achieved by a lariat structure that hides the linear telomeric DNA through protein-protein and protein-DNA interactions. The telomere shortening associated with DNA replication in the absence of a compensatory mechanism culminates in unmasked telomeres. Then, the subsequent activation of the DDR will define the fate of cells according to the functionality of cell cycle checkpoints. Dysfunctional telomeres can suppress cancer development by engaging replicative senescence or apoptotic pathways, but they can also promote tumour initiation. Studies in telomere dynamics and karyotype analysis underpin telomere crisis as a key event driving genomic instability. Significant attainment of telomerase or alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT)-pathway to maintain telomere length may be permissive and required for clonal evolution of genomically-unstable cells during progression to malignancy. We summarise current knowledge of the role of telomeres in the maintenance of chromosomal stability and carcinogenesis. View Full-Text.
Grants:	Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad SAF2013-43801-P Agència de Gestió d'Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca 2014/SGR-524
Note:	Altres ajuts:. A.B. is supported by a Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona fellowship (456-01-1/2012)
Rights:	Aquest document està subjecte a una llicència d'ús Creative Commons. Es permet la reproducció total o parcial, la distribució, la comunicació pública de l'obra i la creació d'obres derivades, fins i tot amb finalitats comercials, sempre i quan es reconegui l'autoria de l'obra original.
Language:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió publicada
Subject:	Telomere-dysfunction; ; Chromosome instability ; Cancer
Published in:	International journal of molecular sciences, Vol. 19, Issue 1 (January 2018) , art. 294, ISSN 1422-0067

DOI: 10.3390/ijms19010294
PMID: 29351238

21 p, 672.6 KB

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