Along with defending against pathogens, the body's innate immune system helps to protect the stability of our genomes in unexpected ways -; ways that have important implications for the development of cancer, researchers at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) are discovering. In a pair of recent papers, scientists in the lab of molecular biologist John Petrini, PhD, showed that innate immune signaling plays a key role in maintaining genome stability during DNA replication. Furthermore, the researchers showed that chronic activation of these immune pathways can contribute to tumor development in a mouse model of breast cancer.

Not only do the findings add vital insights to our understanding of fundamental human biology, says Dr. Petrini, they may also shed new light on tumor initiation and present potential opportunities for new therapies. "Living organisms have evolved complex pathways to sense, signal, and repair damaged DNA," he says.

"Here we're learning new things about the role of the innate immune system in responding to that damage -; both in the context of cancer and also in human health more generally." How chronic activation of the innate immune system can lead to cancer The newest paper, led by first author Hexiao Wang, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow in the Petrini Lab, and published in Genes & Development , reveals a connection between innate immune signaling and tumor development in breast tissue. And, Dr.

Petrini says, the data suggest that when instability.