Germline specific genes increase DNA double-strand break repair and radioresistance in lung adenocarcinoma cells.

ABSTRACT: In principle, germline cells possess the capability to transmit a nearly unaltered set of genetic material to infinite future generations, whereas somatic cells are limited by strict growth constraints necessary to assure an organism's physical structure and eventual mortality. As the potential to replicate indefinitely is a key feature of cancer, we hypothesized that the activation of a "germline program" in somatic cells can contribute to oncogenesis. Our group recently described over one thousand germline specific genes that can be ectopically expressed in cancer, yet how germline specific processes contribute to the malignant properties of cancer is poorly understood. We here show that the expression of germ cell/cancer (GC) genes correlates with malignancy in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD

SUBMITTER: Liu W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10786935 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature