Telomerase and cancer

作者：Jerry W. Shay · 发表于：Human Molecular Genetics · 年份：2001 · DOI：10.1093/hmg/10.7.677 · 被引用次数：511 · 研究领域：Telomeres, Telomerase, and Senescence、Cancer Research and Treatments、RNA Interference and Gene Delivery

Telomerase, a eukaryotic ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complex, contains both an essential RNA and a protein reverse transcriptase subunit. By reverse transcription, the telomerase RNP maintains telomere length stability in almost all cancer cells. Over the past few years there has been significant progress in identifying the components of the telomerase holoenzyme complex and the proteins that associate with telomeres, in order to elucidate mechanisms of telomere length regulation. This review covers recent advances in the field including the use of telomerase in cancer diagnostics and an overview of anti-telomerase cancer therapeutic approaches.