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Analysis of Translation Initiation During Stress Conditions by Polysome Profiling
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The transcriptional stress response and its implications in cancer treatment

Samantha Cruz-Ruiz1, Maritere Urióstegui-Arcos1, Mario Zurita1

  • 1Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 62210 Cuernavaca, Mor., Mexico.

Biochimica Et Biophysica Acta. Reviews on Cancer
|August 29, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Global transcription inhibitors offer new cancer treatment strategies by inducing stress responses. Understanding gene overexpression during this stress is key to developing more effective cancer therapies and overcoming drug resistance.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Cancer Research
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Cancer cells exhibit high transcription rates essential for survival and maintaining their malignant phenotype.
  • Global transcription inhibitors have a history in cancer treatment, with renewed interest due to advances in basal transcription machinery understanding and drug discovery.
  • Inhibiting global transcription induces cellular stress, prompting cancer cells to overexpress specific genes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review substances that inhibit global transcription and their potential in cancer treatment.
  • To analyze gene overexpression patterns in response to transcriptional stress induced by various agents.
  • To discuss future research directions for understanding and utilizing transcriptional stress responses in oncology.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of existing studies on global transcription inhibitors and their targets.
  • Analysis of gene expression data associated with transcriptional stress responses.
  • Synthesis of findings to identify potential therapeutic strategies and research needs.

Main Results:

  • Several classes of substances inhibiting global transcription show promise for anti-cancer applications.
  • Transcriptional stress leads to the overexpression of genes potentially linked to treatment resistance and increased malignancy.
  • Specific gene expression profiles are associated with different transcription-inhibiting agents.

Conclusions:

  • Global transcription inhibitors represent a promising avenue for cancer therapy, leveraging induced cellular stress.
  • Further research into the mechanisms of transcriptional stress response is crucial for developing targeted therapies.
  • Understanding gene overexpression patterns can guide the development of strategies to overcome treatment resistance and enhance efficacy.
Keywords:
Cancer therapyChemotherapy resistancePre-initiation complexRNA polymerase IIStress responseTranscription addictionTranscription inhibitors

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