Rna Dna And Cancer

In this book, the author Joseph G. Sinkovics liberally shares his views on the cancer cell which he has been observing in vivo and in vitro, over a life time. Readers will learn how, as an inherent faculty of the RNA/DNA complex, the primordial cell survival pathways are endogenously reactivated in an amplified or constitutive manner in the multicellular host, and are either masquerading as self-elements or as placentas, to which the multicellular host is evolutionarily trained to extend full support. The host obliges. The author explains that there is no such evidence that “malignantly transformed” human cells survive in nature. However, when cared for in the laboratory, these cells live and replicate as immortalized cultures. These cells retain their vitality upon storage in liquid nitrogen. One can only imagine an astrophysical environment in which such cells could survive; perhaps, first their seemingly humble exosomes would populate that environment. Immortal cell populations so created may survive as individuals, or may even re-organize themselves into multicellular colonies, as representatives of life for the duration of the Universe. This thought-provoking book is the work of a disciplined investigator and clinician with an impeccable reputation, and he enters a territory that very few if any before him have approached from the same angles. It will appeal to researchers with an interest in cell survival pathways and those researching cancer cells.

Accumulating evidence supports the role of defects in post-transcriptional gene regulation in the development of cancer. RNA and Cancer examines the recent advances in our understanding of post-transcriptional gene regulation, especially RNA processing and its role in cancer development and treatment. A particular focus is mRNA splicing, but other topics such as microRNAs, mRNA stability, the perinucleolar compartment, and oligonucleotide therapeutics are also covered in detail. All chapters have been written by internationally renowned experts. The book is intended for all with an interest in gene regulation and cancer biology, and especially for those not directly working on RNA biology, including clinicians and medical students. It is hoped that it will stimulate further innovative research collaborations between RNA biologists and cancer researchers to the benefit of patients.

The past decade has witnessed a burst of activity and interest in the discovery and design of drugs that cleave DNA and RNA with sequence specificity. This interest stems from the potential of this class of compounds to be useful as therapeutics agents, in particular in the field of the treatment of cancer and viral diseases. Further, a side benefit of such studies is the discovery of novel mechanisms and uses of such agents as tools in the study of structure and function of nucleic acids. Up to now, no international meeting has been organized to recognize the immense progress that has been made in this field. The field of DNA and RNA cleavage by natural and chemical drugs now includes researchers working with rather dissimilar agents but with common underlying mechanisms of DNA damage. Until recently, these scientists were working in separate, apparently unrelated areas, such as the enediyne antibiotics and their synthetic analogues, bleomycin-metal complexes, metal-drug complexes, ribozymes and ribozyme mimics, and antisense and antigene oligonucleotides, etc. It is now clear that these research areas have in common strategies and targets. Researchers representing these areas worked together at this workshop where these common interests were discussed and scientific ideas modified and criticized. Such a workshop should lead to new research approaches and collaborative interactions, and is expected to significantly enhance the progress in the field of DNA and RNA cleavage.

It has been recognized for almost 200 years that certain families seem to inherit cancer. It is only in the past decade, however, that molecular genetics and epidemiology have combined to define the role of inheritance in cancer more clearly, and to identify some of the genes involved. The causative genes can be tracked through cancer-prone families via genetic linkage and positional cloning. Several of the genes discovered have subsequently been proved to play critical roles in normal growth and development. There are also implications for the families themselves in terms of genetic testing with its attendant dilemmas, if it is not clear that useful action will result. The chapters in The Genetics of Cancer illustrate what has already been achieved and take a critical look at the future directions of this research and its potential clinical applications.

The Molecular Biology of Cancer discusses the state of progress in the molecular biology of cancer. The book describes the effects of anticancer agents on nucleolar ultrastructure; the role of chromosomes in the causation and progression of cancer and leukemia; the replication, modification, and repair of DNA. The text also describes the metabolism and utilization of messenger RNA and other high molecular weight RNA and low molecular weight nuclear RNA; the characteristics, structures, and functions of nuclear proteins; and the process of protein synthesis. Nucleotides are reviewed with regard to its biosynthesis, inhibition of synthesis, and development of resistance to inhibitors. The book further tackles the biochemical mechanisms of chemical carcinogenesis; the oncogenic viruses; and the molecular correlation concept. The text also demonstrates phenotypic variability as a manifestation of translational control; and plasmacytomas. Molecular biologists, virologists, pathologists, cell biologists, oncologists, pharmacologists, and students taking related courses will find the book useful.

In the last decade, researchers working in the field of cancer biology have shifted their focus from genetic defects to epigenetic dysregulation, especially that of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs). This book encompasses a comprehensive review of the transcriptional landscape of the cell and its involvement in the cancer pathophysiology. The first two chapters elucidate the basics of biosynthesis, mechanism of action and modulation of the epigenetic regulation of gene expression by coding as well as non-coding RNAs. The third chapter discusses the aberrant expression of the cellular RNome in the cancer cells and highlights its role in the orchestration of processes involved in evolution as well as the sustenance of cancer cells. The fourth chapter describes the recent advances in the field of translating the transcriptome into diagnostic/prognostic biomarkers and as targets for novel anti-cancer therapies. The final chapter then reviews the emerging experimental approaches to screen, identify and explore the functions of ncRNAs. Providing valuable insights into the field of RNome in the context of cancer, this book is helpful to students, researchers and clinicians..