title: Amplification of the telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) gene in cervical carcinomas.
abstract: The expression of telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT), the catalytic component of the telomerase complex, is required for activation of telomerase during immortalization and transformation of human cells. However, the biochemical and genetic mechanisms governing hTERT expression remain to be elucidated. In the present study, we examined hTERT amplification as a potential genetic event contributing to telomerase activation in cervical carcinomas. An amplification of the hTERT gene was found in 1/4 cervical cancer cell lines and 21/88 primary tumor samples derived from the patients with cervical carcinomas. An increase in the hTERT copy number was significantly correlated with higher levels of hTERT protein expression. Moreover, the hTERT alterations with the enhanced hTERT expression were exclusively observed in those tumors with high-risk human papillomavirus infection. Taken together, the hTERT gene amplification, directly or indirectly targeted by human papillomavirus, may be one of the driving forces responsible for upregulation of hTERT expression and activation of telomerase in cervical cancers.
authors: Department of Oncology and Pathology, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors: Anju
authors: A
authors: Zhang
authors: Chengyun
authors: C
authors: Zheng
authors: Mi
authors: M
authors: Hou
authors: Charlotta
authors: C
authors: Lindvall
authors: Keng-Ling
authors: KL
authors: Wallin
authors: Tord
authors: T
authors: Angström
authors: Xiaoyan
authors: X
authors: Yang
authors: Ann-Cathrin
authors: AC
authors: Hellström
authors: Elisabeth
authors: E
authors: Blennow
authors: Magnus
authors: M
authors: Björkholm
authors: Anders
authors: A
authors: Zetterberg
authors: Astrid
authors: A
authors: Gruber
authors: Dawei
authors: D
authors: Xu
mesh_terms: D002277:Carcinoma / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D005260:Female; D005784:Gene Amplification / Q000235:genetics*; D018628:Gene Dosage; D006801:Humans; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics; D016612:Paraffin Embedding; D019098:Telomerase / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D019098:Telomerase