Telomere Maintenance and the cGAS-STING Pathway in Cancer
Cancer cells exhibit the unique characteristics of high proliferation and aberrant DNA damage response, which prevents cancer therapy from effectively eliminating them. The machinery required for telomere maintenance, such as telomerase and the alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT), enables can...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-06-01
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| Series: | Cells |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/11/12/1958 |
| _version_ | 1797488914282315776 |
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| author | Hiroshi Ebata Tze Mun Loo Akiko Takahashi |
| author_facet | Hiroshi Ebata Tze Mun Loo Akiko Takahashi |
| author_sort | Hiroshi Ebata |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Cancer cells exhibit the unique characteristics of high proliferation and aberrant DNA damage response, which prevents cancer therapy from effectively eliminating them. The machinery required for telomere maintenance, such as telomerase and the alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT), enables cancer cells to proliferate indefinitely. In addition, the molecules in this system are involved in noncanonical pro-tumorigenic functions. Of these, the function of the cyclic GMP–AMP synthase (cGAS)-stimulator of interferon genes (STING) pathway, which contains telomere-related molecules, is a well-known contributor to the tumor microenvironment (TME). This review summarizes the current knowledge of the role of telomerase and ALT in cancer regulation, with emphasis on their noncanonical roles beyond telomere maintenance. The components of the cGAS-STING pathway are summarized with respect to intercell communication in the TME. Elucidating the underlying functional connection between telomere-related molecules and TME regulation is important for the development of cancer therapeutics that target cancer-specific pathways in different contexts. Finally, strategies for designing new cancer therapies that target cancer cells and the TME are discussed. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T00:09:06Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5fcf279be8fb400fa82a112e2796eedd |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4409 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T00:09:06Z |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cells |
| spelling | doaj.art-5fcf279be8fb400fa82a112e2796eedd2023-11-23T16:02:11ZengMDPI AGCells2073-44092022-06-011112195810.3390/cells11121958Telomere Maintenance and the cGAS-STING Pathway in CancerHiroshi Ebata0Tze Mun Loo1Akiko Takahashi2Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, JapanProject for Cellular Senescence, Cancer Institute, Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research, Tokyo 135-8550, JapanProject for Cellular Senescence, Cancer Institute, Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research, Tokyo 135-8550, JapanCancer cells exhibit the unique characteristics of high proliferation and aberrant DNA damage response, which prevents cancer therapy from effectively eliminating them. The machinery required for telomere maintenance, such as telomerase and the alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT), enables cancer cells to proliferate indefinitely. In addition, the molecules in this system are involved in noncanonical pro-tumorigenic functions. Of these, the function of the cyclic GMP–AMP synthase (cGAS)-stimulator of interferon genes (STING) pathway, which contains telomere-related molecules, is a well-known contributor to the tumor microenvironment (TME). This review summarizes the current knowledge of the role of telomerase and ALT in cancer regulation, with emphasis on their noncanonical roles beyond telomere maintenance. The components of the cGAS-STING pathway are summarized with respect to intercell communication in the TME. Elucidating the underlying functional connection between telomere-related molecules and TME regulation is important for the development of cancer therapeutics that target cancer-specific pathways in different contexts. Finally, strategies for designing new cancer therapies that target cancer cells and the TME are discussed.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/11/12/1958DNA damagetelomerecGAS-STINGcancerALTcellular senescence |
| spellingShingle | Hiroshi Ebata Tze Mun Loo Akiko Takahashi Telomere Maintenance and the cGAS-STING Pathway in Cancer Cells DNA damage telomere cGAS-STING cancer ALT cellular senescence |
| title | Telomere Maintenance and the cGAS-STING Pathway in Cancer |
| title_full | Telomere Maintenance and the cGAS-STING Pathway in Cancer |
| title_fullStr | Telomere Maintenance and the cGAS-STING Pathway in Cancer |
| title_full_unstemmed | Telomere Maintenance and the cGAS-STING Pathway in Cancer |
| title_short | Telomere Maintenance and the cGAS-STING Pathway in Cancer |
| title_sort | telomere maintenance and the cgas sting pathway in cancer |
| topic | DNA damage telomere cGAS-STING cancer ALT cellular senescence |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/11/12/1958 |
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