hTERT gene dosage correlates with telomerase activity in human lung cancer cell lines.
Maintenance of telomeres, most often by telomerase, is a necessary prerequisite for immortality of eukaryotic cells. To better understand the mechanisms of telomerase up-regulation during tumorigenesis, we analysed the gene dosage of hTERT on chromosome 5p15, a region known to be overrepresented in a variety of malignancies, in 20 lung cancer cell lines by Southern blotting, fluorescence in-situ hybridization, and comparative genomic hybridization. We found a significant correlation between hTERT gene dosage, hTERT mRNA expression and telomerase activity. Imbalances of chromosome 5p may exert functionally relevant hTERT gene dosage effects in human lung cancer.
Saretzki
Gabriele
G
Deptartment of Gerontology, University of Newcastle, Wolfson Research Centre, Newcastle General Hospital, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne NE4 6BE, UK.
Petersen
Simone
S
Petersen
Iver
I
Kölble
Konrad
K
von Zglinicki
Thomas
T
D015139:Blotting, Southern; D002895:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 5; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D018628:Gene Dosage; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics*; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D019098:Telomerase / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D015854:Up-Regulation
D018076:DNA, Complementary; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D019098:Telomerase