title: Leptin upregulates telomerase activity and transcription of human telomerase reverse transcriptase in MCF-7 breast cancer cells.
abstract: The aim was to analyze the mechanism of leptin-induced activity of telomerase in MCF-7 breast cancer cells. We found that leptin activated telomerase in a dose-dependent manner; leptin upregulated the expression of Human Telomerase Reverse Transcriptase (hTERT) at mRNA and protein levels; blockade of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) phosphorylation significantly counteracted leptin-induced hTERT transcription and protein expression; chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis showed that leptin enhanced the binding of STAT3 to the hTERT promoter. This study uncovers a new mechanism of the proliferative effect of leptin on breast cancer cells and provides a new explanation of obesity-related breast cancer.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Medical University, Ministry of Education, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Tianjin, China. herenrh@yahoo.com.cn
authors.forename: He
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.forename: Tiansuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Xiuchao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Chuntao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Jihui
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hao
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D020738:Leptin / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D019098:Telomerase / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D020738:Leptin; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor; C494086:STAT3 protein, human; C509186:TERT protein, human; D019098:Telomerase