Document Detail


Telomeres, telomerase, and apoptosis.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  15284903     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
Telomeres are specialized high-order chromatin structures that cap the ends of eukaryotic chromosomes. In vertebrates, telomeric DNA is composed of repetitions of the TTAGGG hexanucleotide, is bound to a set of specific proteins, and is elongated by the reverse transcriptase enzyme telomerase. Telomerase activity is promptly detected in cells with an indefinite replicative potential, such as cancer cells, while is almost undetectable in normal cells, which are characterized by a limited life span. Mounting evidence indicates that the maintenance of telomere integrity and telomerase protect cells from apoptosis. Disruption of the telomere capping function and (or) telomerase inhibition elicit an apoptotic response in cancer cells, while restoration of telomerase activity in somatic cells confers resistance to apoptosis. The possible mechanisms linking telomeres, telomerase and apoptosis are discussed in this review, together with the impact of this field in anticancer research.
Authors:
Chiara Mondello; A Ivana Scovassi
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; Review    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Biochemistry and cell biology = Biochimie et biologie cellulaire     Volume:  82     ISSN:  0829-8211     ISO Abbreviation:  Biochem. Cell Biol.     Publication Date:  2004 Aug 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2004-07-30     Completed Date:  2005-02-14     Revised Date:  2006-11-15    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  8606068     Medline TA:  Biochem Cell Biol     Country:  Canada    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  498-507     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Istituto di Genetica Molecolare CNR, Pavia, Italy.
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Animals
Apoptosis*
Chromatin / physiology
DNA / chemistry
DNA-Binding Proteins
Humans
Mice
Mice, Knockout
Models, Biological
Neoplasms / pathology
Nucleotides / chemistry
Telomerase / genetics,  physiology*
Telomere / ultrastructure*
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
0/Chromatin; 0/DNA-Binding Proteins; 0/Nucleotides; 9007-49-2/DNA; EC 2.7.7.49/Telomerase

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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