Snapka R M
Department of Radiology, Ohio State University, Columbus 43210.
Oncol Res. 1992;4(4-5):145-50.
Facile gene amplification is one aspect of the genetic instability associated with transformed cells. Amplification of oncogenes and proto-oncogenes contributes to carcinogenesis and tumor progression. Gene amplification is also a common basis for resistance to anticancer drugs. The observation that low level cytotoxic stress can cause rapid loss of amplified genes from cultured cell populations suggests that gene amplification may be a potential target for cancer chemotherapy. Drug-induced loss of amplified genes is seen with a wide variety of extrachromosomally amplified genes, including drug resistance genes and proto-oncogenes. A number of drugs and differentiating agents have been reported to cause rapid loss of unstably amplified genes. An effect on amplified genes or cells carrying amplified genes may contribute to the selective action of drugs presently used for cancer chemotherapy. A better understanding of drug-induced amplified gene loss may lead to new strategies for cancer treatment.
便捷的基因扩增是与转化细胞相关的遗传不稳定性的一个方面。癌基因和原癌基因的扩增有助于致癌作用和肿瘤进展。基因扩增也是抗癌药物耐药性的常见基础。低水平细胞毒性应激可导致培养细胞群体中扩增基因快速丢失这一观察结果表明，基因扩增可能是癌症化疗的一个潜在靶点。多种染色体外扩增基因，包括耐药基因和原癌基因，都可见药物诱导的扩增基因丢失。据报道，许多药物和分化剂可导致不稳定扩增基因快速丢失。对扩增基因或携带扩增基因的细胞的影响可能有助于目前用于癌症化疗的药物的选择性作用。更好地理解药物诱导的扩增基因丢失可能会带来癌症治疗的新策略。
