Aging is the strongest risk factor for
cancer development, suggesting that molecular crosstalks between aging and
tumorigenesis exist in many cellular pathways. Recently,
Sirtuins (Sirt1-7), the mammalian homologues of aging-related sir2α in yeast, have been shown to modulate several major cellular pathways, such as DNA repair,
inflammation, metabolism, cell death, and proliferation in response to diverse stresses, and may serve as a possible molecular link between aging and tumorignenesis. In addition, growing evidence suggests that
sirtuins are directly implicated in the development of
cancer, and they can act as either a
tumor suppressor or promoter, depending on the cellular context and
tumor types. While the functions of
Sirt1 in
tumorigenesis have been reported and reviewed in many studies, the connection between
sirtuins 2-7 and the development of
cancer is less established. Thus, this review will present the recent updates on the emerging roles of Sirt2-7 members in
carcinogenesis.