人类肿瘤的形成与线粒体DNA(mitochondrial DNA,mtDNA)的突变有重要关系,许多恶性肿瘤中存在mtDNA突变。mtDNA突变可以损伤氧化磷酸化的功能,增加活性氧的产生,这些又能反过来加速DNA的突变,从而促进肿瘤的发生和发展。特定的mtDNA突变可以使肿瘤细胞获得适应新微环境和处理氧化胁迫的能力,从而利于肿瘤细胞转移。mtDNA的突变与肿瘤的发生和转移相关,其可能成为一个潜在的治疗恶性肿瘤的靶点。
Mutations of mtDNA (mitochondrial DNA)have been identified in various typos of cancer. Mutations of mtDNA could result in the impairment of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation system and increase of ROS production, which may in turn accelerate the rate of DNA mutation. This vacious cycle has been proposed to be involved in the initiation of carcinogenesis. Some of the acquired mtDNA mutations may confer tumor cells with the ability to adapt to the new micro- environment or cope with stress during progression and metastasis of the tumor. Mutations in mitochondrial DNA play an im- portant role in the development and progression of cancer,therefore,it may be a potential target to the therapy of malignant tumor.