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Telomere Dysfunction, Chromosomal Instability and Cancer

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Chromosomal Instability in Cancer Cells

Part of the book series: Recent Results in Cancer Research ((RECENTCANCER,volume 200))

Abstract

Telomeres form protective caps at the ends of linear chromosomes to prevent nucleolytic degradation, end-to-end fusion, irregular recombination, and chromosomal instability. Telomeres are composed of repetitive DNA sequences (TTAGGG)n in humans, that are bound by specialized telomere binding proteins. Telomeres lose capping function in response to telomere shortening, which occurs during each division of cells that lack telomerase activity—the enzyme that can synthesize telomeres de novo. Telomeres have a dual role in cancer: telomere shortening can lead to induction of chromosomal instability and to the initiation of tumors, however, initiated tumors need to reactivate telomerase in order to stabilize chromosomes and to gain immortal growth capacity. In this review, we summarize current knowledge on the role of telomeres in the maintenance of chromosomal stability and carcinogenesis.

Cagatay Günes and Karl Lenhard Rudolph equally contributed to this work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Leibniz Institute for Age Research, Fritz Lipmann Institute e.V., 07745, Jena, Germany

    Jitendra Meena, K. Lenhard Rudolph & Cagatay Günes

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  1. Jitendra Meena
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  2. K. Lenhard Rudolph
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  3. Cagatay Günes
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Correspondence to K. Lenhard Rudolph or Cagatay Günes .

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  1. Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, Department of General, Göttingen, Germany

    B. Michael Ghadimi

  2. Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA

    Thomas Ried

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Meena, J., Rudolph, K.L., Günes, C. (2015). Telomere Dysfunction, Chromosomal Instability and Cancer. In: Ghadimi, B., Ried, T. (eds) Chromosomal Instability in Cancer Cells. Recent Results in Cancer Research, vol 200. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-20291-4_3

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