Telomere maintenance mechanisms in neuroblastoma: New insights and translational implications

Bibliographic Details
Title: Telomere maintenance mechanisms in neuroblastoma: New insights and translational implications
Authors: Lisa Werr, Carolina Rosswog, Christoph Bartenhagen, Sally L. George, Matthias Fischer
Source: EJC Paediatric Oncology, Vol 3, Iss , Pp 100156- (2024)
Publisher Information: Elsevier, 2024.
Publication Year: 2024
Collection: LCC:Neoplasms. Tumors. Oncology. Including cancer and carcinogens
Subject Terms: Neuroblastoma, Telomere maintenance, Telomerase, Alternative lengthening of telomeres, Neoplasms. Tumors. Oncology. Including cancer and carcinogens, RC254-282
More Details: The clinical behaviour of neuroblastoma ranges from spontaneous tumour regression or maturation into benign ganglioneuroma to fatal progression despite intensive treatment [1,2]. The mechanisms underlying the distinct phenotypes have remained uncertain yet. A number of recent studies noticed that activation of telomere maintenance mechanisms (TMM) in the malignant neuroblasts is strongly associated with high-risk disease and poor outcome, whereas TMM are absent in spontaneously regressing low-risk tumours, suggesting that telomere maintenance is essential to drive neuroblasts into the fully malignant state. Stabilization of the telomeres above a critical threshold is essential for cancer cells to gain replicative immortality and has thus been considered a hallmark of cancer [3]. In most high-risk neuroblastomas, TMM is conferred by induction of telomerase, either through genomic rearrangements of the TERT locus, encoding for the catalytic subunit of telomerase, or amplification of the MYCN proto-oncogene, whereas the alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) pathway is activated in approximately one-quarter of high-risk tumours [4–8]. We here review recent advances on our understanding of the mechanistic role of telomere maintenance in neuroblastoma pathogenesis, and discuss potential implications on neuroblastoma risk assessment and on the development of novel therapies directed against TMM.
Document Type: article
File Description: electronic resource
Language: English
ISSN: 2772-610X
Relation: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772610X24000151; https://doaj.org/toc/2772-610X
DOI: 10.1016/j.ejcped.2024.100156
Access URL: https://doaj.org/article/e94637699a77469fb4b11567edb2675b
Accession Number: edsdoj.94637699a77469fb4b11567edb2675b
Database: Directory of Open Access Journals
More Details
ISSN:2772610X
DOI:10.1016/j.ejcped.2024.100156
Published in:EJC Paediatric Oncology
Language:English