2021/03/13 by Halina Was, Halina Waś, Agata Borkowska +6 · 1 citation
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · #CRISPR and Genetic Engineering #Chromosomal and Genetic Variations #Microtubule and mitosis dynamics
paper · doi:10.1016/j.semcancer.2021.03.003
openalex publication_date 2021/03/13 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/31
Ploidy increase has been shown to occur in different type of tumors and participate in tumor initiation and resistance to the treatment. Polyploid giant cancer cells (PGCCs) are cells with multiple nuclei or a single giant nucleus containing multiple complete sets of chromosomes. The mechanism leading to formation of PGCCs may depend on: endoreplication, mitotic slippage, cytokinesis failure, cell fusion or cell cannibalism. Polyploidy formation might be triggered in response to various genotoxic stresses including: chemotherapeutics, radiation, hypoxia, oxidative stress or environmental factors like: air pollution, UV light or hyperthermia. A fundamental feature of polyploid cancer cells is the generation of progeny during the reversal of the polyploid state (depolyploidization) that may show high aggressiveness resulting in the formation of resistant disease and tumor recurrence. Therefore, we propose that modern anti-cancer therapies should be designed taking under consideration polyploidization/ depolyploidization processes, which confer the polyploidization a hidden potential similar to a Trojan horse delayed aggressiveness. Various mechanisms and stress factors leading to polyploidy formation in cancer cells are discussed in this review.