γH2AX and cancer

Abstract

DNA double strand breaks (DSBs) may lead to cancer but, paradoxically, are also used to kill cancer cells. How might γH2AX — a surrogate marker of DSBs — be used to detect precancerous cells, to stage cancers, to monitor the effectiveness of cancer therapies and to develop novel anticancer drugs? Histone H2AX phosphorylation on a serine four residues from the carboxyl terminus (producing γH2AX) is a sensitive marker for DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). DSBs may lead to cancer but, paradoxically, are also used to kill cancer cells. Using γH2AX detection to determine the extent of DSB induction may help to detect precancerous cells, to stage cancers, to monitor the effectiveness of cancer therapies and to develop novel anticancer drugs.