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Updated: Dec 7, 2025

Author Spotlight: Transmitochondrial Cybrid Generation Using Cancer Cell Lines
Published on: March 17, 2023
Mitochondrial DNA Haplotypes as Genetic Modifiers of Cancer
Alpaslan Tasdogan1, David G McFadden2, Prashant Mishra3
1Children's Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
Abstract:
Mitochondria play an essential role in cellular metabolism, generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and the initiation of apoptosis. These properties enable mitochondria to be crucial integrators in the pathways of tumorigenesis. An open question is to what extent variation in the mitochondrial genome (mtDNA) contributes to the biological heterogeneity observed in human tumors. In this review, we summarize our current understanding of the role of mtDNA genetics in relation to human cancers.
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