Editorial
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Clin Oncol. Jul 24, 2024; 15(7): 806-810
Published online Jul 24, 2024. doi: 10.5306/wjco.v15.i7.806
Poly (ADP-ribose): A double-edged sword governing cancer cell survival and death
Keun-Yeong Jeong, Ji-Hyuk Kang
Keun-Yeong Jeong, Head Office, Research Center, Seoul 07292, South Korea
Ji-Hyuk Kang, Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, College of Health and Medical Science, Daejeon University, Daejeon 34520, South Korea
Author contributions: Jeong KY designed the overall concept and outline of the manuscript; Jeong KY conceived the contents and drafted the manuscript and contributed to the discussion; Jeong KY and Kang JH contributed to editing the manuscript, illustrations, and review of the literature; All authors have read and approved the final manuscript.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Keun-Yeong Jeong, PhD, Chief Technician, Founder and CEO, Head Office, Research Center, PearlsInMires, 150, Yeongdeungpo-ro, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul 07292, South Korea. alvirus@naver.com
Received: March 30, 2024
Revised: June 10, 2024
Accepted: June 28, 2024
Published online: July 24, 2024
Processing time: 107 Days and 23.7 Hours
Abstract

Poly (ADP-ribose) (PAR), a polymer of ADP-ribose, is synthesized by PAR polymerase and is crucial for the survival of cancer cells due to its vital functions in DNA repair and post-translational modifications. Beyond its supportive role, PAR also triggers cancer cell death by excessive accumulation of PAR leading to an energy crisis and parthanatos. This phenomenon underscores the potential of targeting PAR regulation as a novel anticancer strategy, and the rationale would present an engaging topic in the field of anticancer research. Therefore, this editorial provides an overview of the mechanisms determining cancer cell fate, emphasizing the central role of PAR. It further introduces promising methods for modulating PAR concentrations that may pave the way for innovative anticancer therapies.

Keywords: ADP-ribose; Poly (ADP-ribose); ADP ribosylation; PARylation; Parthanatos; Anticancer

Core Tip: The biosynthesis of Poly (ADP-ribose) (PAR) by PAR polymerase plays a pivotal role in modulating cellular processes that dictate the survival or death of cancer cells. Considering the dichotomous functions of PAR is instrumental in unveiling novel strategies for cancer treatment.