生殖系
生物
体细胞
癌变
癌症
遗传学
基因
表观遗传学
生殖细胞
癌细胞
癌症研究
减数分裂
作者
Jan Willem Bruggeman,Jan Koster,A. M. M. Van Pelt,Dave Speijer,Geert Hamer
出处
期刊:BioEssays
[Wiley]
日期:2022-10-27
卷期号:: e2200112-e2200112
标识
DOI:10.1002/bies.202200112
摘要
Cancers often express hundreds of genes otherwise specific to germ cells, the germline/cancer (GC) genes. Here, we present and discuss the hypothesis that activation of a "germline program" promotes cancer cell malignancy. We do so by proposing four hallmark processes of the germline: meiosis, epigenetic plasticity, migration, and metabolic plasticity. Together, these hallmarks enable replicative immortality of germ cells as well as cancer cells. Especially meiotic genes are frequently expressed in cancer, implying that genes unique to meiosis may play a role in oncogenesis. Because GC genes are not expressed in healthy somatic tissues, they form an appealing source of specific treatment targets with limited side effects besides infertility. Although it is still unclear why germ cell specific genes are so abundantly expressed in cancer, from our hypothesis it follows that the germline's reproductive program is intrinsic to cancer development.
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