Telomerase as a therapeutic target.

L Huminiecki

doi:10.18388/abp.1996_4488

Telomerase as a therapeutic target.

L Huminiecki Institute of Human Genetics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznań, Poland.;

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18388/abp.1996_4488

Abstract

Ribonucleoprotein telomerase is an enzyme that elongates telomeric DNA. In cells without detectable telomerase activity telomeres shorten with every cell generation and reaching critical length is a signal for cell death. Normal human somatic cells express undetectable, or low (bone marrow and peripheral leukocytes), telomerase activity. Reactivation of telomerase (immortalization) is probably necessary during development of a fully malignant cancer. Consequently, telomerase was proposed to be a therapeutic target for the cancer therapy. Potential results (including side-effects) of telomerase inhibition are being considered. After all, telomerase inhibition can be useful not only in the therapy, but also in cancer biology research, elucidating ageing and immortalization phenomena.

Published

1996-09-30

Issue

Vol. 43 No. 3 (1996)

Section

Articles

Acta Biochimica Polonica is an OpenAccess quarterly and publishes four issues a year. All contents are distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license. Everybody may use the content following terms: Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.