A New Paper in Press: A review of genotoxic drugs and checkpoint adaptation

We have a new paper that is published as of today.  This paper reviews the scientific literature about a relatively new topic in cancer cell biology - checkpoint adaptation.  In a few words, checkpoint adaptation is mitosis with damaged DNA.  In this review, we describe how genotoxic cancer drugs, pharmacology, damaged DNA, are linked to checkpoint adaptation.  It is likely that the phenomenon of checkpoint adaptation is more frequent than had been previously reported.  It occurs when cancer cells are treated with pharmacological amounts of genotoxic cancer drugs.  In experiments, if one uses too much of a genotoxic compound (call a supra-pharmacological dose) cells die by other pathways, usually apoptosis.  If one uses too little, the cell repairs the damage.  But if one adds the amount that kills cancer cells without killing healthy cells (a pharmacological dose) then checkpoint adaptation occurs.  We found these "doses" in the scientific literature and report them in this review, to make it easier for others to use them in their experiments.  There are many other important facts brought together in this review.  To receive a copy either contact me, or the first author Lucy Swift, or click on this link:

Checkpoint Adaptation Review - Swift and Golsteyn

 The paper is open access, happy reading.

An image of human cancer cells taken with a microscope.  The rounded objects are cells that are undergoing checkpoint adaptation.  For scale, the bar is 25 um (0.025 mm).