Glioblastoma induces vascular endothelial cells to express telomerase in vitro.
Angiogenesis is essential for the growth of solid tumors. We have observed previously that the vascular endothelial cells of astrocytic brain tumors express human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) mRNA, suggesting a role for telomerase in the angiogenesis of these neoplasms. Here, we used an in vitro model to demonstrate that the telomerase machinery might be trans-activated in primary endothelial cells by glioblastoma tumor cells. We found that glioblastoma cells in vitro do induce hTERT mRNA and hTERT protein expression, as well as telomerase enzyme activity in the endothelial cells, and that this phenomenon is mediated by diffusible factor(s). These results provide strong evidence of the involvement of telomerase in tumor angiogenesis and will stimulate research on antitelomerase drugs for treatment of malignant brain gliomas.
Falchetti
Maria Laura
ML
Institute of Neurobiology and Molecular Medicine, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Rome 00137, Italy.
Pierconti
Francesco
F
Casalbore
Patrizia
P
Maggiano
Nicola
N
Levi
Andrea
A
Larocca
Luigi Maria
LM
Pallini
Roberto
R
D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000201:enzymology*; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D019098:Telomerase / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D014471:Umbilical Veins
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D019098:Telomerase