Open AccessMitochondrial DNA alterations in the progression of gastric carcinomas: Unexplored issues and future research needs
Author(s) -
Luciana Rigoli,
Rosario Alberto Caruso
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
world journal of gastroenterology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.427
H-Index - 155
eISSN - 2219-2840
pISSN - 1007-9327
DOI - 10.3748/wjg.v20.i43.16159
Subject(s) - helicobacter pylori , carcinogenesis , cancer , mitochondrial dna , genome instability , gastric carcinoma , dna damage , biology , cancer research , medicine , gastroenterology , dna , genetics , gene
Gastric cancer is the second most frequent cause of cancer death worldwide. Patients infected with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) are at increased risk of gastric cancer. H. pylori induces genomic instability in both nuclear and mitochondrial (mt) DNA of gastric epithelial cells. Changes in mtDNA represent an early event during gastric tumorigenesis, and thus may serve as potential biomarkers for early detection and prognosis in gastric carcinoma.This review article summarizes the mtDNA mutations that have been reported in gastric carcinomas and their precancerous conditions. Unexplored research topics, such as the role of mtDNA alterations in an alternative pathway of gastric carcinogenesis, are identified and directions for future research are suggested.