Using telomeric chromosomal aberrations to evaluate clastogen-induced genomic instability in mammalian cells

Telomeres, the specialized nucleoproteic complexes localized at the physical ends of linear eukaryotic chromosomes, play a fundamental role in maintaining chromosomal stability and integrity, being one of the leading guardians of genome stability. In recent years, the identification and analysis of chromosomal aberrations involving telomeres has proven to be a unique tool to evaluate misrepaired and unrepaired chromosome damage in mammalian cells. Telomere instability constitutes an important source of genomic instability, a phenomenon characteristic of cancer cells, and also common in cells exposed to chemical or physical mutagens which induce chromosomal aberrations by producing chromosome breakage (clastogens). In the present review, we will focus on the chromosomal aberrations involving telomeres and their importance to determine the clastogen-induced genomic instability present in mammalian cells.