The Genes of Life and Death: A Potential Role for Placental-Specific Genes in Cancer: Active retrotransposons in the placenta encode unique functional genes that may also be used by cancer cells to promote malignancy.

摘要: The placenta invades the adjacent uterus and controls maternal immune system, like a cancer surrounding organs suppresses local response. Intriguingly, placental cells are globally hypomethylated share an epigenetic phenomenon that is not well understood – they fail to silence repetitive DNA sequences (retrotransposons) silenced (methylated) in healthy somatic cells. In placenta, hypomethylation of retrotransposons has facilitated evolution new genes essential for function. cancer, thought contribute activation oncogenes, genomic instability, retrotransposon unsilencing; latter, we postulate, possibly most important consequence. Activation retrotransposon-derived underpins our hypothesis these drives cell invasion. This alludes interesting paradox, while promoting early hominid life, same promote disease-susceptibility death through cancer.