title: Telomeres in cancer: tumour suppression and genome instability.
abstract: The shortening of human telomeres has two opposing effects during cancer development. On the one hand, telomere shortening can exert a tumour-suppressive effect through the proliferation arrest induced by activating the kinases ATM and ATR at unprotected chromosome ends. On the other hand, loss of telomere protection can lead to telomere crisis, which is a state of extensive genome instability that can promote cancer progression. Recent data, reviewed here, provide new evidence for the telomere tumour suppressor pathway and has revealed that telomere crisis can induce numerous cancer-relevant changes, including chromothripsis, kataegis and tetraploidization.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Cell Biology and Genetics, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, New York 10065, USA.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Maciejowski
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Cell Biology and Genetics, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, New York 10065, USA.
authors.forename: Titia
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: de Lange
mesh_terms: D000072837:Chromothripsis; D042822:Genomic Instability; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000517:prevention & control; D019098:Telomerase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016615:Telomere / Q000502:physiology*; D059506:Telomere Shortening
chemical_list: D019098:Telomerase