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DNA Damage Responses, the Trump Card of Stem Cells in the Survival Game

Akram Tayanloo-Beik1, Shayesteh Kokabi Hamidpour2, Amirabbas Nikkhah3

  • 1Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Molecular-Cellular Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology
|November 4, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Stem cells offer therapeutic potential, but their DNA repair mechanisms present challenges, particularly in cancer stem cells. Understanding these repair systems, influenced by genetic and epigenetic factors, is crucial for advancing stem cell therapies and cancer treatment.

Area of Science:

  • Cellular and Molecular Biology
  • Cancer Research
  • Regenerative Medicine

Background:

  • Stem cells possess self-renewal and high proliferative capacity, making them promising for disease treatment.
  • DNA repair mechanisms are critical for stem cell proliferation but pose challenges for therapeutic applications.
  • Cancer stem cells utilize DNA repair for survival and treatment resistance, hindering cancer curability.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of DNA repair systems in stem cell survival and cancer stem cell resistance.
  • To explore the genetic and epigenetic regulation of DNA repair in the context of stem cell therapies and cancer.

Main Methods:

  • Review and analysis of existing literature on stem cell biology and DNA repair pathways.
  • Examination of genetic and epigenetic factors influencing DNA repair mechanisms.
  • Correlation of DNA repair efficiency with cancer stem cell survival and therapeutic outcomes.

Main Results:

  • DNA repair mechanisms are essential for stem cell maintenance and proliferation.
  • Enhanced DNA repair in cancer stem cells contributes significantly to treatment resistance.
  • Both genetic and epigenetic factors regulate DNA repair, impacting stem cell behavior.

Conclusions:

  • A comprehensive understanding of DNA repair systems is vital for overcoming challenges in stem cell therapy.
  • Targeting DNA repair pathways, considering both genetic and epigenetic influences, may improve cancer stem cell eradication and overall cancer treatment efficacy.
Keywords:
Cancer stem cellDNA damage responseDNA mismatch repairDNA repairStem cells

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