Y chromosome structural and functional changes in human malignant diseases.
The main Y chromosome abnormalities found in testicular cancer and other malignant diseases are microdeletions, entire chromosome loss and transcription deregulation of several genes mapping in the non-recombinant part of the Y chromosome. Yet, the role of these changes in the origin or evolution of malignancies is uncertain. The Y chromosome has experienced a long and intricate evolutionary history of deleterious, compensatory, and advantageous mutations. It is proposed that the compensatory mechanisms preventing Y decay in cancer cells are no longer working, and that deletions and gene down-expression reflect a very fast process of Y attrition. From this perspective, Y chromosome aberrations, mutations and unbalanced gene expression very likely play no role in the etiology of cell transformation, although in some forms of cancer, Y abnormalities may influence tumor progression.
Bianchi
Néstor O
NO
Laboratory of Molecular Population Genetics, IMBICE, CC 403, 1900 La Plata, Argentina. bianchi@imbice.org.ar
D043171:Chromosomal Instability; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D041322:Chromosomes, Human, Y; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008957:Models, Genetic; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D009373:Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / Q000235:genetics; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics