Telomere biology: Rationale for diagnostics and therapeutics in cancer.
The key step of carcinogenesis is the malignant transformation which is fundamentally a telomere biology dysfunction permitting cells to bypass the Hayflick limit and to divide indefinitely and uncontrollably. Thus all partners and structures involved in normal and abnormal telomere maintenance, protection and lengthening can be considered as potential anti-cancer therapeutic targets. In this Point of View we discuss, highlight and provide new perspectives from the current knowledge and understanding to position the different aspects of telomere biology and dysfunction as diagnostic, preventive and curative tools in the field of cancer.
a Bloomfield Center for Research in Aging, Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital ; Montréal , Québec , Canada.
Philippe
P
Rousseau
a Bloomfield Center for Research in Aging, Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital ; Montréal , Québec , Canada.|b Division of Experimental Medicine, Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, McGill University ; Montréal , Québec , Canada.
Chantal
C
Autexier
D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D019098:Telomerase / Q000235:genetics; D016615:Telomere / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology
D019098:Telomerase
alternative lengthening of telomere; cancer diagnostics; cancer therapeutics; shelterin; telomerase; telomere; telomere uncapping