Bayne Sharyn, Liu Jun-Ping
Molecular Signalling Laboratory, Department of Immunology, Monash University, AMREP, Prahran, Melbourne, Vic., Australia.
Mol Cell Endocrinol. 2005 Aug 30;240(1-2):11-22. doi: 10.1016/j.mce.2005.05.009.
Telomerase is a specialised reverse transcriptase that synthesises and preserves telomeres (the ends of chromosomes), thereby playing a key role in regulating the lifespan of cell proliferation. Telomerase activity is critically involved in cell development, ageing and tumourigenesis. Activation of telomerase to maintain telomeres is required for self renewal and proliferative expansion of a number of cell types, including stem cells, activated lymphocytes and cancerous cells. However, recent studies show that the safeguard mechanisms and the modes of regulation of telomerase are more revealing than thought under various physiological and pathological conditions. Considerable evidence suggests that hormones and growth factors are crucially involved in regulating telomerase activity and gene expression of telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT). This review briefly summarises our current understanding of how hormones and growth factors regulate the telomerase and telomere network and how deregulation can induce ageing and related diseases such as cancer.
端粒酶是一种特殊的逆转录酶，可合成并维持端粒（染色体末端），从而在调节细胞增殖寿命方面发挥关键作用。端粒酶活性在细胞发育、衰老和肿瘤发生过程中至关重要。激活端粒酶以维持端粒对于包括干细胞、活化淋巴细胞和癌细胞在内的多种细胞类型的自我更新和增殖扩展是必需的。然而，最近的研究表明，在各种生理和病理条件下，端粒酶的保护机制和调节模式比之前认为的更具启发性。大量证据表明，激素和生长因子在调节端粒酶活性和端粒酶逆转录酶（TERT）的基因表达方面至关重要。本综述简要总结了我们目前对激素和生长因子如何调节端粒酶和端粒网络以及失调如何引发衰老和相关疾病（如癌症）的理解。
