title: Mitochondrial DNA alterations in the progression of gastric carcinomas: unexplored issues and future research needs.
abstract: Gastric cancer is the second most frequent cause of cancer death worldwide. Patients infected with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) are at increased risk of gastric cancer. H. pylori induces genomic instability in both nuclear and mitochondrial (mt) DNA of gastric epithelial cells. Changes in mtDNA represent an early event during gastric tumorigenesis, and thus may serve as potential biomarkers for early detection and prognosis in gastric carcinoma.This review article summarizes the mtDNA mutations that have been reported in gastric carcinomas and their precancerous conditions. Unexplored research topics, such as the role of mtDNA alterations in an alternative pathway of gastric carcinogenesis, are identified and directions for future research are suggested.
authors.affiliation: Luciana Rigoli, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Messina, 98122 Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Luciana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rigoli
authors.affiliation: Luciana Rigoli, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Messina, 98122 Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Rosario Alberto
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Caruso
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D000236:Adenoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D018450:Disease Progression; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D005756:Gastritis / Q000235:genetics / Q000382:microbiology; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000235:genetics / Q000382:microbiology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000472:pathogenicity; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D006801:Humans; D009154:Mutation; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial
keywords: Gastric carcinoma; Histopathology; Molecular biology; Precancerous lesions; mtDNA