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Updated: Sep 20, 2026

Formation of Covalent DNA Adducts by Enzymatically Activated Carcinogens and Drugs In Vitro and Their Determination by 32P-postlabeling
09:33

Formation of Covalent DNA Adducts by Enzymatically Activated Carcinogens and Drugs In Vitro and Their Determination by 32P-postlabeling

Published on: March 20, 2018

Physical mechanisms of the activation of oncogenes through carcinogens

J J Ladik

    Progress in Clinical and Biological Research
    |January 1, 1985
    PubMed

    Insights

    Chemical carcinogens can activate human oncogenes through various mechanisms, often requiring external agents. A detailed discussion explores how DNA conformational solitons may mediate long-range carcinogenic effects.

    Area of Science:

    • Oncology
    • Molecular Biology
    • Carcinogenesis

    Background:

    • Discovery of approximately twenty human oncogenes in recent years.
    • Identification of key oncogene activation mechanisms including point mutations, LTR binding, and chromosomal transposition.
    • Recognition that these activation pathways necessitate external agents.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To review the principal mechanisms of short- and long-range effects of chemical carcinogens.
    • To discuss a potential mechanism for long-range chemical carcinogenesis involving DNA conformational solitons.

    Main Methods:

    • Review of established oncogene activation pathways.
    • Analysis of chemical carcinogen interaction mechanisms.
    • Theoretical discussion of conformational solitons in DNA.

    Main Results:

    • Oncogene activation mechanisms (point mutation, LTR binding, transposition) require external agents.
    • Chemical carcinogens exhibit both short- and long-range effects.
    • Generation of conformational solitons in DNA is proposed as a potent long-range carcinogenesis mechanism.

    Conclusions:

    • External agents are crucial for oncogene activation.
    • Understanding carcinogen mechanisms, including novel ones like DNA solitons, is vital for cancer research.
    • Conformational solitons offer a new perspective on long-range chemical carcinogenesis.

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