OBJECTIVE The enzyme telomerase and its catalytic subunit the telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) are important for maintenance of telomere length in the nucleus. Recent studies provided evidence for a mitochondrial localization of TERT. Therefore, we investigated the exact localization of TERT within the mitochondria and its function. METHODS AND RESULTS Here, we demonstrate that TERT is...

A role for the telomerase reverse transcriptase subunit (Tert) in tumorigenesis independent of telomere length is emerging. K5-Tert mice, which overexpress Tert in the skin, show increased tumorigenesis and faster wound healing than wild-type controls. Here, we demonstrate that the telomerase RNA component Terc is necessary to mediate these effects of Tert overexpression. In contrast to K5-Tert...

Transcriptional reactivation of telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) reconstitutes telomerase activity in the majority of human cancers. Here, we found that ectopic TERT expression increases cell proliferation, while acute reductions in TERT levels lead to a dramatic loss of proliferation without any change in telomere length, suggesting that the effects of TERT could be telomere independent...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) is tightly related to the resistance of cells to stress and injury. However, little is known about the roles of TERT in the nervous system. We try to investigate the effects of TERT on the function of astrocytes in developing rat brains subjected to hypoxia-ischemia. METHODS TERT expression was detected in rat brains with hypoxia-...

The mechanism of telomerase re-activation in cancer had remained elusive until the discovery of frequent mutations in the promoter of the TERT gene that encodes the catalytic reverse transcriptase subunit of telomerase. We investigated the regulation of TERT expression in melanoma cell lines and our results show that promoter mutations render TERT expression dependent on MAPK activation due to ...

Cancer cells depend on transcription of telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT). Many transcription factors affect TERT, though regulation occurs in context of a broader network. Network effects on telomerase regulation have not been investigated, though deeper understanding of TERT transcription requires a systems view. However, control over individual interactions in complex networks is not e...

A common single-nucleotide polymorphism in the telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) promoter, rs2853669 influences patient survival rates and the risk of developing cancer. Recently, several lines of evidence suggest that the rs2853669 suppresses TERT promoter mutation-mediated TERT expression levels and cancer mortality as well as recurrence rates. However, no reports are available on the i...

Zinc as an essential trace element was reported to be involved in regulation of the growth and aging of cells. In this study, rat adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells were exposed to extremely low frequency electromagnetic field (ELF-EMF) of 50 Hz and 20 mT to evaluate whether exposure to ELF-EMF in the presence of zinc sulfate (ZnSO4) affects the telomerase reverse transcriptase (...