Telomerase and telomeres: From basic biology to cancer treatment

MN Helder, GBA Wisman, AGJ van der Zee*

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

    43 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    The limited capacity to divide is one of the major differences between normal somatic cells and cancerous cells. This finite life span' of somatic cells is closely linked to loss of telomeric DNA at telomeres, the 'chromosome caps' consisting of repeated (TTAGGG) sequences. In more than 85% of advanced cancers, this telomeric attrition is compensated by telomerase, 'the immortality enzyme', implying that telomerase inhibition may restore mortality in tumor cells. This review discusses the progress in research on the structure and function of telomeres and the telomerase holoenzyme. In addition, new developments in telomere/telomerase targeting compounds such as antisense oligonucleotides and G-quadritplex stabilizing substances, but also new telomerase expression-related strategies such as telomerase promoter-driven suicide gene therapy and telomerase immunotherapy will be presented. It will be discussed how these data call be implemented in telomerase-directed therapies.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)82-101
    Number of pages20
    JournalCancer Investigation
    Volume20
    Issue number1
    Publication statusPublished - 2002

    Keywords

    • cancer treatment
    • hTR
    • hTERT
    • telomerase
    • telomere
    • REVERSE-TRANSCRIPTASE GENE
    • CELLS IN-VITRO
    • CATALYTIC SUBUNIT HTERT
    • PEPTIDE NUCLEIC-ACIDS
    • INTERACTIVE AGENTS
    • HUMAN FIBROBLASTS
    • RNA COMPONENT
    • HUMAN TUMOR
    • C-MYC
    • DYSKERATOSIS-CONGENITA

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