Maintaining telomere length
Journal Title: Advances in Hygiene and Experimental Medicine - Year 2013, Vol 67, Issue 0
Abstract
Telomeres protect the ends of chromosomes maintaining genome stability. The activity of telomerase enzyme, or alternatively the process of recombination, regulates the length of telomeres. In the absence of these mechanisms, excessive shortening of telomeres reach its critical level. Excessively shortened telomeres do not protect chromosome ends, the cell division cycle is stopped while the inactivity of replication process generates cellular senescence and cell death. On the other hand, critically shortened telomeres may promote chromosomal instability. These changes can lead to the development of carcinogenesis. In this process enzymatic activity of telomerase is reactivated. To maintain the protection of the chromosome ends, telomeres bind the stabilizing protein complex (shelterin). The presence of these protective proteins prevents undesirable DNA damage and initiates the repair system pathways. Molecular technologies enable the evaluation of telomere lengths, the analysis of telomerase expression and activity, and detection of mutations, polymorphic and epigenetic changes in telomere – shelterin - telomerase complex related genes. The purpose of research is to describe new mechanisms that affect the biology of telomere lengths, and to determine the impact on bone marrow failures, development of haematological malignancies, neurodegenerative diseases and others disorders associated with chromosomal instability. The model of modern therapies based on telomere biology explains the significance of the maintenance of telomere lengths in the process of cellular senescence and carcinogenesis.
Authors and Affiliations
Barbara Wysoczańska
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP67237
- DOI -
- Views 144
- Downloads 0
The role of the PD-1 protein in pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases, with particular consideration of rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus
Polymorphism of the PDCD1 gene for the PD-1 protein (programmed cell death 1, encoded by PDCD1) is significantly associated with higher incidence of autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic lup...
Integralność śródbłonka naczyniowego regulowana w sposób IgE-zależny
Polimorfizm kodonu 72 genu TP53 w raku endometrium u kobiet po menopauzie
Inhibitors of microtubule polymerization- new natural compounds as potential anti-cancer drugs
Inhibitors of microtubule polymerization are compounds which, by binding to the tubulin dimer, prevent the normal course of cell division and lead to cell death. They cause inhibition of mitosis, affect the cytoskeleton...
Transportery błonowe ABCC – budowa, funkcja i znaczenie w mechanizmach wytwarzania oporności wielolekowej w komórkach nowotworów złośliwych
Oporność na leki cytotoksyczne jest obecnie poważnym problemem leczenia systemowego nowotworów. Jednym z mechanizmów oporności, oprócz inaktywacji leku w komórkach docelowych, zmiany punktu uchwytu dla leku, nasilenia pr...