title: Transposable elements in cancer and other human diseases.
abstract: Transposable elements (TEs) are mobile DNA sequences representing a substantial fraction of most genomes. Through the creation of new genes and functions, TEs are important elements of genome plasticity and evolution. However TE insertion in human genomes may be the cause of genetic dysfunction and alteration of gene expression contributing to cancer and other human diseases. Besides the chromosome rearrangements induced by TE repeats, this mini-review shows how gene expression may be altered following TE insertion, for example by the creation of new polyadenylation sites, by the creation of new exons (exonization), by exon skipping and by other modification of alternative splicing, and also by the alteration of regulatory sequences. Through the correlation between TE mobility and the methylation status of DNA, the importance of chromatin regulation is evident in several diseases. Finally this overview ends with a brief presentation of the use of TEs as biotechnology tools for insertional mutagenesis screening and gene therapy with DNA transposons.
authors: Mer Molecules Sante, UFR Sciences et Techniques, Universite du Maine, Avenue Olivier Messiaen, F-72085 Le Mans Cedex, France. bchenais@univ-lemans.fr.
authors: Benoit
authors: B
authors: Chenais
mesh_terms: D017398:Alternative Splicing; D020087:Alu Elements; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D037161:Galectins / Q000235:genetics; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D016254:Mutagenesis, Insertional; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D010920:Placenta / Q000502:physiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D011995:Recombination, Genetic
chemical_list: D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D037161:Galectins