Telomeres, Telomerase and Cancer
A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Oncology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2022) | Viewed by 20141
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Telomeres are terminal structures at the end of eukaryotic chromosomes deputed to the safeguard of genome stability. They consist of G-rich double stranded DNA repeats (in human TTAGGG) that terminate with a 5’ G-rich overhang. Telomeres are nucleoprotein structures where repeated DNA is covered by a six-members protein complex named shelterin. Shelterin proteins protect nucleic acid from enzymatic attack and attenuates DNA damage signalling generated by DNA ends exposure. The progressive erosion of telomeric repeats over rounds of DNA duplication determines senescence of adult somatic cells and represents an intrinsic barrier to cell transformation. Cancer cells overcome replicative senescence by re-activating telomere maintenance mechanisms, mainly telomerase activity and, in a residual percentage of tumors, ALT activity. Recent advances on the comprehension of telomere regulation and metabolism, unveil multiple cross-talks between telomere biology and cancer initiation and progression and strengthen the concept that telomeres components and telomere maintenance mechanisms could represent validated targets for cancer therapy.
In agreement with this, telomerase inhibitors are currently in clinical trials and telomeric proteins and DNA secondary structures (such as G-quadruplexes), are under pre-clinical evaluation as targets in anti-cancer therapy.
A deep knowledge of the impact of telomere homeostasis in different human cancers is of high relevance in pharmacological intervention against cancer. To this aim, this issue focuses on the role of “telosome” elements in cancer progression and as potential targets for cancer therapy. Authors are encouraged to submit relevant basic and translational research articles and review articles on this specific issue.
Dr. Erica Salvati
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- telomeres
- telomerase
- cancer
- cancer therapy
- telomeric G-quadruplexes
