Abstract 2474: The Mechanistic Role of Polyamines in DNA Double-Strand Break Repair

The study explored the role of polyamines in DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair, particularly focusing on their involvement in the homologous recombination (HR) repair pathway. Polyamines, which are organic cations crucial for cell growth and proliferation, were found to enhance the RAD51-mediated DNA strand exchange reaction, a key step in HR. This enhancement was attributed to polyamines' ability to improve duplex DNA capture during the DNA exchange process. The research utilized both cell-based and animal models, including mouse hair follicles, to demonstrate the physiological significance of polyamines in DNA repair. These findings provided insights into the mechanistic role of polyamines in DNA repair, highlighting their potential impact on tumorigenesis due to their increased levels in many cancers.