The ratio of single- to double-strand DNA breaks and their absolute values determine cell death pathway
2001
How DNA Breaks Affect Cell Death
publication
Evidence: moderate
Author Information
Author(s): Tounekti O, Kenani A, Foray N, Orlowski S, Mir L M
Primary Institution: Institut Gustave Roussy
Hypothesis
The ratio of single- to double-strand DNA breaks determines the pathway of cell death.
Conclusion
More than 150,000 single-strand breaks are needed to trigger apoptosis, and single-strand breaks are significantly less toxic than double-strand breaks.
Supporting Evidence
- Deglyco-bleomycin is at least 100 times less toxic than bleomycin.
- Deglyco-bleomycin treatment results in apoptosis induction.
- Single-strand breaks are 300 times less toxic than double-strand breaks.
Takeaway
This study shows that how DNA is damaged in cells can change how they die, with different types of damage leading to different death processes.
Methodology
The study used deglyco-bleomycin to analyze its effects on DNA breaks and cell death in Chinese hamster fibroblasts.
Participant Demographics
Chinese hamster fibroblasts
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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