Role of human DNA2 (hDNA2) as a potential target for cancer and other diseases: A systematic review

DNA nuclease/helicase 2 (DNA2), a multi-functional protein protecting the high fidelity of genomic transmission, plays critical roles in DNA replication and repair processes. In the maturation of Okazaki fragments, DNA2 acts synergistically with other enzymes to cleave the DNA-RNA primer flaps via different pathways. DNA2 is also involved in the stability of mitochondrial DNA and the maintenance of telomeres. Moreover, DNA2 potentially participates in controlling the cell cycle by repairing the DNA replication faults at main checkpoints. In addition, previous evidences demonstrated that DNA2 also functions in the repair process of DNA damages, such as base excision repair (BER). Currently, large studies revealed the structures and functions of DNA2 in prokaryotes and unicellular eukaryotes, such as bacteria and yeast. However, the studies that highlighted the functions of human DNA2 (hDNA2) and the relationships with other multifunctional proteins are still elusive, and more precise investigations are immensely needed. Therefore, this review mainly encompasses the key functions of DNA2 in human cells with various aspects, especially focusing on the genome integrity, and also generalizes the recent insights to the mechanisms related to the occurrence of cancer and other diseases potentially linked to the mutations in DNA2.