title: Androgens stimulate telomerase expression, activity and phosphorylation in ovarian adenocarcinoma cells.
abstract: Androgens have been implicated in increasing ovarian cancer risk. Most ovarian cancer cells have high telomerase activity which is effective in inducing ovarian carcinogenesis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of testosterone and androstenedione on the viability of an ovarian adenocarcinoma cell line, the activity and expression of telomerase, and the phosphorylation status of its catalytic subunit in these cells. Results showed that androgens significantly increased the viability of ovarian cancer cells and that these hormones induced the expression, activity and phosphorylation of telomerase. This upregulation was blocked by phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase pathway inhibitors. These findings might have implications for understanding the role of androgens in ovarian carcinogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, 1417613151 Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mitra
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nourbakhsh
authors.forename: Abolfazl
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Golestani
authors.forename: Mahin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zahrai
authors.forename: Mohammad Hossein
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Modarressi
authors.forename: Zahra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Malekpour
authors.forename: Fatemeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Karami-Tehrani
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D000728:Androgens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000735:Androstenedione / Q000494:pharmacology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D058539:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase / Q000378:metabolism; D000081082:Phosphoinositide-3 Kinase Inhibitors; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D019098:Telomerase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000728:Androgens; D000081082:Phosphoinositide-3 Kinase Inhibitors; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D013739:Testosterone; D000735:Androstenedione; D058539:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; C509186:TERT protein, human; D019098:Telomerase