title: Telomerase expression in adult and old mouse Purkinje neurons.
abstract: Telomerase promotes tissue regeneration by delaying the entrance of cells into senescence. Studies performed on cells or animals overexpressing telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT), the catalytic subunit of telomerase, have revealed that TERT exhibits antiapoptotic effects in neurons. However, it is not clear whether endogenous TERT possesses these functions as well. Here we demonstrate the presence of active telomerase in the cytoplasm and nucleus of cerebellar Purkinje neurons of adult and old mice. TERT protein levels are reduced with age, whereas in the nucleus TERT activity is increased. These findings suggest that telomerase plays a role in the aging of nondividing cells.
authors.affiliation: Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.
authors.forename: Erez
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Eitan
authors.forename: Ailon
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tichon
authors.forename: Gitler
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Daniel
authors.forename: Esther
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Priel
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D001921:Brain / Q000201:enzymology; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D004249:DNA Damage; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods; D008954:Models, Biological; D009474:Neurons / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D011689:Purkinje Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000201:enzymology; D019098:Telomerase / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000378:metabolism; D016615:Telomere / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D019098:Telomerase