Aberrant expression of select piRNA-pathway genes does not reactivate piRNA silencing in cancer cells.

ABSTRACT: Germline genes that are aberrantly expressed in nongermline cancer cells have the potential to be ideal targets for diagnosis and therapy due to their restricted physiological expression, their broad reactivation in various cancer types, and their immunogenic properties. Among such cancer/testis genes, components of the PIWI-interacting small RNA (piRNA) pathway are of particular interest, as they control mobile genetic elements (transposons) in germ cells and thus hold great potential to counteract genome instability in cancer. Here, we systematically investigate the potential reactivation of functional piRNA-silencing mechanisms in the aberrant context. While we observe expression of individual piRNA-pathway genes in cancer, we fail to detect the formation of functional piRNA-silencing c

SUBMITTER: Genzor P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6561285 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature