Pharmacology

Pharmacogenetics & Pharmacogenomics

Recent advances in DNA repair are DNA interstrand cross-links (ICLs) are lesions caused by a variety of endogenous metabolites, ecological exposures, and cancer chemotherapeutic agents that have two reactive groups. The general feature of these diverse lesions is that two nucleotides on opposite strands are joined covalently. Mutagenicity and carcinogenicity are clearly correlated. The somatic mutation theory of cancer holds that these agents cause cancer by causing the mutation of somatic cells. A unique feature of inter-strand cross-links repair is that both strands of DNA must be incised to completely remove the lesion. Drug dosing guidelines accomplished in sequential steps to prevent creating multiple double-strand breaks. Understanding the specificity of mutagens in bacteria has led to the direct implication of certain environmental mutagens in the cause of human cancers.