Decoding driver and phenotypic genes in cancer: Unveiling the essence behind the phenomenon

IF 8.7 2区医学 Q1 BIOCHEMISTRY & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

Molecular Aspects of Medicine Pub Date : 2025-03-03 DOI:10.1016/j.mam.2025.101358

Dequan Liu , Lei Liu , Xiaoman Zhang , Xinming Zhao , Xiaorui Li , Xiangyu Che , Guangzhen Wu

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Gray hair, widely regarded as a hallmark of aging. While gray hair is associated with aging, reversing this trait through gene targeting does not alter the fundamental biological processes of aging. Similarly, certain oncogenes (such as CXCR4, MMP-related genes, etc.) can serve as markers of tumor behavior, such as malignancy or prognosis, but targeting these genes alone may not lead to tumor regression. We pioneered the name of this class of genes as "phenotypic genes". Historically, cancer genetics research has focused on tumor driver genes, while genes influencing cancer phenotypes have been relatively overlooked. This review explores the critical distinction between driver genes and phenotypic genes in cancer, using the MAPK and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathways as key examples. We also discuss current research techniques for identifying driver and phenotypic genes, such as whole-genome sequencing (WGS), RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), RNA interference (RNAi), CRISPR-Cas9, and other genomic screening methods, alongside the concept of synthetic lethality in driver genes. The development of these technologies will help develop personalized treatment strategies and precision medicine based on the characteristics of relevant genes. By addressing the gap in discussions on phenotypic genes, this review significantly contributes to clarifying the roles of driver and phenotypic genes, aiming at advancing the field of targeted cancer therapy.

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来源期刊

Molecular Aspects of Medicine 医学-生化与分子生物学

CiteScore

18.20

自引率

0.00%

发文量

审稿时长

55 days

期刊介绍： Molecular Aspects of Medicine is a review journal that serves as an official publication of the International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. It caters to physicians and biomedical scientists and aims to bridge the gap between these two fields. The journal encourages practicing clinical scientists to contribute by providing extended reviews on the molecular aspects of a specific medical field. These articles are written in a way that appeals to both doctors who may struggle with basic science and basic scientists who may have limited awareness of clinical practice issues. The journal covers a wide range of medical topics to showcase the molecular insights gained from basic science and highlight the challenging problems that medicine presents to the scientific community.