Table of Contents
Do cancer cells repair telomeres?
Cancer cells maintain the telomere length for unlimited growth by telomerase reactivation or a recombination-based mechanism. Recent genome-wide analyses have unveiled genetic and epigenetic alterations of the telomere maintenance machinery in cancer.
Can cancer cells arise without TMM activation?
Recent studies showed that, occasionally, cancer cells can arise without any TMM activation. Here, we discuss the challenge in assessing which TMM is activated in tumors. We also evaluate the prevalence of ALT mechanism in pediatric cancers and review the associated survival prognosis in different tumor types.
Does cancer regenerate?
The scientists, from the Department of Biology and the York Plasma Institute, discovered that while most cancer cells were likely to be killed off by treatment, cell signals within a process known as the ‘Notch response’ can kick-start growth in a small number of cancer stem cells, resulting in regeneration of both …
What are ALT cells?
Alternative Lengthening of Telomeres (also known as “ALT”) is a telomerase-independent mechanism by which cancer cells avoid the degradation of telomeres.
How can telomerase be targeted as a cancer treatment?
Approaches to targeting telomerase include: (1) Immunotherapies—peptide or DNA vaccines supply immunogenic TERT epitopes that stimulate immune responses against telomerase-expressing cancer cells. Adoptive cell transfer therapies entail the infusion of telomerase-specific cytotoxic T cells.
Do cancer cells exhibit contact inhibition?
However, contact inhibition of locomotion and proliferation are both aberrantly absent in cancer cells, and the absence of this regulation contributes to tumorigenesis.
What is the ALT pathway?
Alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) is a telo- merase-independent but recombination-dependent pathway that maintains telomeres. Telomerase, an RNA-templated enzyme that extends telomeres, plays a crucial role in telomere maintenance.
What is the function of the telomerase enzyme?
Telomerase is the enzyme responsible for maintenance of the length of telomeres by addition of guanine-rich repetitive sequences. Telomerase activity is exhibited in gametes and stem and tumor cells.