Genome Instability and DNA Repair in Somatic and Reproductive Aging

Annu Rev Pathol. 2023 Oct 13. doi: 10.1146/annurev-pathmechdis-051122-093128. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTGenetic material is constantly subjected to genotoxic insults and is critically dependent on DNA repair. Genome maintenance mechanisms differ in somatic and germ cells as the soma only requires maintenance during an individual's lifespan, while the germline indefinitely perpetuates its genetic information. DNA lesions are recognized and repaired by mechanistically highly diverse repair machineries. The DNA damage response impinges on a vast array of homeostatic processes and can ultimately result in cell fate changes such as apoptosis or cellular senescence. DNA damage causally contributes to the aging process and aging-associated diseases, most prominently cancer. By causing mutations, DNA damage in germ cells can lead to genetic diseases and impact the evolutionary trajectory of a species. The mechanisms ensuring tight control of germline DNA repair could be highly instructive in defining strategies for improved somatic DNA repair. They may provide future interventions to maintain health and prevent disease during aging. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Pathology: Mechanisms of Disease, Volume 19 is January 2024. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.PMID:37832947 | DOI:10.1146/annurev-pathmechdis-051122-093128
Source: Annual Review of Pathology - Category: Pathology Authors: Source Type: research