Mechanisms underlying the activation of TERT transcription and telomerase activity in human cancer: old actors and new players

Long-lived species Homo sapiens have evolved robust protection mechanisms against cancer by repressing telomerase and maintaining short telomeres, thereby delaying the onset of the majority of cancer types until post-reproductive age. Indeed, telomerase is silent in most differentiated human cells, predominantly due to the transcriptional repression of its catalytic component telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) gene. The lack of telomerase/TERT expression leads to progressive telomere erosion in dividing human cells, whereas critically shortened telomere length induces a permanent growth arrest stage named replicative senescence. TERT/telomerase activation has been experimentally shown to be essential to…

• SF
  Swedish Foundation for International Cooperation in Research and Higher Education
• C
  Cancerfonden
• CP
  China Postdoctoral Science Foundation

  Award: 2019M652404
• KI
  Karolinska Institutet
• V
  Vetenskapsrådet
• CI
  Cancerföreningen i Stockholm
• RO
  Ruth och Richard Julins Stiftelse