Myc activates telomerase.
Telomere maintenance has been proposed as an essential prerequisite to human tumor development. The telomerase enzyme is itself a marker for tumor cells, but the genetic alterations that activate the enzyme during neoplastic transformation have remained a mystery. Here, we show that Myc induces telomerase in both normal human mammary epithelial cells (HMECs) and normal human diploid fibroblasts. Myc increases expression of hEST2 (hTRT/TP2), the limiting subunit of telomerase, and both Myc and hEST2 can extend the life span of HMECs. The ability of Myc to activate telomerase may contribute to its ability to promote tumor formation.
Wang
J
J
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL), Cold Spring Harbor, New York 11724, USA.
Xie
L Y
LY
Allan
S
S
Beach
D
D
Hannon
G J
GJ
D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology; D002460:Cell Line; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000235:genetics; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D012313:RNA; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D019098:Telomerase / Q000235:genetics*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured / Q000201:enzymology
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D011506:Proteins; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C422952:telomerase RNA; D012313:RNA; C509186:TERT protein, human; D019098:Telomerase