ISSN: 1449-2288International Journal of Biological Sciences
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Int J Biol Sci 2009; 5(2):147-152. doi:10.7150/ijbs.5.147 This issue Cite
Review
SIRT1, Is It a Tumor Promoter or Tumor Suppressor?
Genetics of Development and Disease Branch, 10/9N105, National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, MD 20892, USA
Abstract
SIRT1 has been considered as a tumor promoter because of its increased expression in some types of cancers and its role in inactivating proteins that are involved in tumor suppression and DNA damage repair. However, recent studies demonstrated that SIRT1 levels are reduced in some other types of cancers, and that SIRT1 deficiency results in genetic instability and tumorigenesis, while overexpression of SIRT1 attenuates cancer formation in mice heterozygous for tumor suppressor p53 or APC. Here, I review these recent findings and discuss the possibility that activation of SIRT1 both extends lifespan and inhibits cancer formation.
Keywords: SIRT1, tumor promoter, tumor suppressor, DNA damage repair
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