An Emerging Regulatory Role for the Tumor Microenvironment in the DNA Damage Response to Double-Strand Breaks

Abstract

Radiation, alkylating agents, and platinum-based chemotherapy treatments eliminate cancer cells through the induction of excessive DNA damage. The resultant DNA damage challenges the cancer cell's DNA repair capacity. Among the different types of DNA damage induced in cells, double-strand breaks (DSB) are the most lethal if left unrepaired. Unrepaired DSBs in tumor cells exacerbate existing gene deletions, chromosome losses and rearrangements, and aberrant features that characteristically enable tumor progression, metastasis, and drug resistance. Tumor microenvironmental factors like hypoxia, inflammation, cellular metabolism, and the immune system profoundly influence DSB repair mechanisms. Here, we put into context the role of the microenvironment in governing DSB repair mechanisms.

Document Details

Document Type
Pub Defense Publication
Publication Date
Feb 01, 2020
Source ID
10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-19-0665

Entities

People

  • Lalita A. Shevde
  • Tshering D Lama-Sherpa

Organizations

  • National Cancer Institute
  • United States Department of Defense
  • University of Alabama at Birmingham

Tags

Fields of Study

  • Biology

Readers

  • Molecular Biology and Genetics
  • Oncology (Cancer Research).

Technology Areas

  • Biotechnology
  • Biotechnology - Cancer Biotech