Abstract: The DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair pathway mainly comprises the non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) and the homologous recombination (HR). The NHEJ is the dominant repair method upon DSBs, which is critical for primary tumor development and evolution. In recent years, novel components and mechanisms for NHEJ were unveiled, which advances the understanding of the NHEJ pathway. Latest studies also showed the inhibition of NHEJ activity could sensitize tumor cells to chemo- and radio-therapies, indicating that NHEJ components might be potential targets for treating tumors.

Key words: DNA damage repair (DDR), non-homologous end joining (NHEJ), homologous recombination (HR), tumor