BACKGROUND Hotspot mutations in the promoter of the gene coding for telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) have been described and proposed to activate gene expression. OBJECTIVES To investigate TERT mutation frequency, spectrum, association with expression and clinical outcome, and potential for detection of recurrences in urine in patients with urothelial bladder cancer (UBC). DESIGN, SE...

Telomeres define the ends of chromosomes protecting eukaryotic cells from chromosome instability and eventual cell death. The complex regulation of telomeres involves various proteins including telomerase, which is a specialized ribonucleoprotein responsible for telomere maintenance. Telomeres of chromosomes of malaria parasites are kept at a constant length during blood stage proliferation. Th...

Activating mutations in the core promoter of the TERT gene have been described in many different tumor entities. In vitro models showed a two- to fourfold increase in transcriptional activity of the TERT promoter through creation of a consensus binding motif for Ets/TCF transcription factors caused by these mutations. TERT core promoter mutations are the most common mutations in bladder cancer ...

Telomerase is essential for maintaining telomere length and chromosome stability in most eukaryotic organisms. The telomerase ribonucleoprotein complex consists of two essential components, the catalytic telomerase reverse transcriptase protein (TERT) and the intrinsic telomerase RNA. The sea squirts, as urochordates, occupy a key position in the phylogenetic tree of the chordates: they diverge...

Telomerase in its canonical function maintains telomeres in dividing cells. In addition, the telomerase protein TERT has non-telomeric functions such as shuttling to mitochondria resulting in a decreased oxidative stress, DNA damage and apoptosis. TERT protein persists in adult neurons and can co-localise to mitochondria under various stress conditions. We show here that TERT expression decreas...

Medullary thyroid carcinomas (MTCs) exhibit telomerase activation in strong association with shorter patient survival. To understand the background of telomerase activation we quantified TERT copy numbers and TERT promoter methylation in 42 MTCs and normal thyroid references. Gain of TERT was demonstrated by quantitative PCR in 5/39 sporadic MTC. Increased methylation index (MetI) for CpG methy...

Telomerase maintains telomere length and has been implicated in both aging and carcinogenesis of human cells. This enzyme is a specialized ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complex, minimally consisting of two essential components: the protein catalytic subunit TERT (telomerase reverse transcriptase) and the integral RNA moiety TR (telomerase RNA, TERC). Both TERT and TR have been found to localize to nu...

Autophagy is systematically regulated by upstream factors and nutrients. Recent studies reported that telomerase and hexokinase 2 [HK2) regulate autophagy through mTOR and that telomerase has the capacity to bind to the HK2 promoter. However, the molecular linkage among telomerase, HK2, and autophagy is not fully understood. Here, we show that HK2 connects telomerase to autophagy. HK2 inhibitio...

The study was designed to determine the cytoprotective and immunomodulatory properties of Geriforte, an indigenous herbomineral compound, using lymphocytes as a model system. The possible involvement of free radicals and the ability of Geriforte to inhibit the oxidative process induced by tert-butylhydroperoxide (tert-BHP) was also investigated. The production of free radicals (evaluated by flu...

Mutations in the promoter region of telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) and alterations in telomere length (TL) have been the focus of research in various types of cancer. In the present study, the frequency and clinical characteristics of TERT promoter mutations and TL were studied in non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC). TERT promoter mutations and TL were analyzed in 188 patients using DN...