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Cancer and ageing: rival demons?
1Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Life Sciences Division, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, California 94720, USA. jcampisi@lbl.gov
Nature Reviews. Cancer
|May 2, 2003
Summary
Mammalian tumor suppressor pathways, crucial for preventing cancer, may have evolved from ancient mechanisms. This evolutionary shift might link these pathways to the aging process, posing challenges for cancer and aging control.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary biology
- Cellular biology
- Gerontology
Background:
- Organisms with renewable tissues possess genetic and cellular mechanisms to prevent cancer.
- Key mammalian tumor suppressor pathways originate from ancient mechanisms primarily involved in embryogenesis or germline protection in simpler organisms.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the evolutionary transition of tumor suppressor pathways from developmental/germline roles to somatic maintenance.
- To investigate the potential link between mammalian tumor suppressor mechanisms and the aging process.
- To understand the implications of this link for cancer and aging control strategies.
Main Methods:
- Comparative analysis of tumor suppressor pathways across different organisms.
- Review of recent evidence linking tumor suppressor mechanisms to aging.
- Theoretical modeling of evolutionary trade-offs.
Main Results:
- Mammalian tumor suppressor pathways evolved from ancient mechanisms with different primary functions.
- Evidence suggests a potential cost to this evolutionary shift, with some tumor suppressor mechanisms contributing to aging.
Conclusions:
- The evolution of complex somatic maintenance from simpler developmental/germline roles may involve trade-offs, including accelerated aging.
- Understanding the dual role of tumor suppressor pathways in cancer and aging is critical for developing integrated therapeutic strategies.
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