Role of specific CDKs in regulating DNA damage repair responses and replication stress.

Cyclins along with their catalytic units, Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) regulate the cell cycle transition and transcription; and are essentially known as 'master regulators' in modulating DNA damage response (DDR) and replication stress. In addition to influencing DNA repair and damage signaling, CDKs also play a pivotal role in cell division fidelity and the maintenance of genomic integrity after DNA damage. In this review, we focus on the intricate ways by which specific CDKs mainly CDK7, CDK9, and CDK12/13, regulate the cell cycle progression and transcription and how their modulation can lead to lethal effects on the integrity of the genome.

Targeting the Molecules in EMT: A Potential Therapeutic Opportunity in Breast Cancer.

Breast Cancer (BC) is one of the most frequently occurring diseases in women, accounting for 90% of cancer-related deaths in women. Tumor cells can invade nearby tissues and spread to distant organs by metastasis. The epithelialmesenchymal transition or EMT, which involves a number of transcription factors and signaling pathways, is a mechanism by which cells of the epithelium change into mesenchymal type capable of motility, invasion, and metastasis.

Mitochondria in Cancer Stem Cells: From an Innocent Bystander to a Central Player in Therapy Resistance.

Cancer continues to rank among the world's leading causes of mortality despite advancements in treatment. Cancer stem cells, which can self-renew, are present in low abundance and contribute significantly to tumor recurrence, tumorigenicity, and drug resistance to various therapies. The drug resistance observed in cancer stem cells is attributed to several factors, such as cellular quiescence, dormancy, elevated aldehyde dehydrogenase activity, apoptosis evasion mechanisms, high expression of drug efflux pumps, protective vascular niche, enhanced DNA damage response, scavenging of reactive oxygen species, hypoxic stability, and stemness-related signaling pathways.

Nano-TRAIL: a promising path to cancer therapy.

Tumor Necrosis Factor-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand, also called apo-2 ligand (TRAIL/Apo-2L), is a cytokine that triggers apoptosis by binding to TRAIL-R1 (DR4) and TRAIL-R2 (DR5) death receptors. Apoptosis occurs through either the extrinsic or intrinsic pathway. The administration of recombinant human TRAIL (rhTRAIL) or TRAIL-receptor (TRAIL-R) agonists promotes apoptosis preferentially in cancerous cells over normal cells ; this phenomenon has also been observed in clinical studies.