Crosstalk between chromatin state and DNA damage response in cellular senescence and cancer

Chromatin conformation and chromatin modifications affect DNA damage response signalling and hence the associated cellular outcomes of this response. This Opinion article discusses the implications of chromatin alterations in cancer cells on DNA damage responses. The generation of DNA lesions and the resulting activation of DNA damage response (DDR) pathways are both affected by the chromatin status at the site of damaged DNA. In turn, DDR activation affects the chromatin at both the damaged site and across the whole genome. Cellular senescence and cancer are associated with the engagement of the DDR pathways and with profound chromatin changes. In this Opinion article, we discuss the interplay between chromatin and DDR factors in the context of cellular senescence that is induced by oncogenes and in cancer.