title: The role of telomeres in liver disease.
abstract: Telomeres stabilize open chromosome ends and protect them against chromosomal end-to-end fusions, breakage, instability, and nonreciprocal translocations. Telomere dysfunction is known to lead to an impaired regenerative capacity of hepatocytes and an increased cirrhosis formation in the context of acute and chronic liver injury. In addition, telomere dysfunction and telomerase mutations have been associated with the induction of chromosomal instability and consequently with cirrhosis development and hepatocarcinogenesis. The identification of molecular mechanisms related to telomere dysfunction and telomerase activation might lead to new therapeutic strategies. In this chapter, we are reviewing the current knowledge about the importance of telomere dysfunction in liver diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Yoshiaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sunami
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine II, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: von Figura
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine I, Ulm University Hospital, Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kleger
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine III and IZKF, University Hospital Aachen, Aachen, Germany.
authors.forename: Pavel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Strnad
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Norbert
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hüser
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hartmann
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology*; D019098:Telomerase / Q000378:metabolism; D016615:Telomere / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D019098:Telomerase
keywords: Hepatocellular carcinoma; Liver cirrhosis; Liver disease; Telomerase; Telomeres