《生命科学》 2009, 21(1): 102-106

hTERT的转录调控及其生物学特性

刘晓伟， 刘厚奇*

第二军医大学发育生物学研究中心，上海200433

摘　要：摘　要：端粒酶对维持端粒长度和基因组稳定起着决定作用。在干细胞、恶性肿瘤细胞内，端粒酶的表达水平升高，造成端粒长度保持不变，甚至增长，使得这些细胞永生化成为可能，并且可以为肿瘤干细胞的形成创造条件。hTERT(human telomerase reverse transcriptase)是端粒酶的催化亚基，它的表达与否对端粒酶的激活起着限制作用。有关hTERT基因转录调控机制的研究在近几年取得了较大进展，这对揭示肿瘤发生过程有很大意义，并且为肿瘤的定向治疗提供了一个有效的靶点。
关键词：hTERT；转录；端粒酶；肿瘤干细胞

The regulation of hTERT抯 transcription and its biological properties

LIU Xiao-wei， LIU Hou-qi*

Research Center of Developmental Biology， Second Military Medical University， Shanghai 200433， China

Abstract: Abstract: Telomerase plays a crucial role in keeping the length of telomere and the stabilization of the genome. It has been found that the expression of the telomerase is increased in stem cells and malignant tumor cells， which stabilizes the telomere抯 length or even prolongs it. This make it possible to ensure these cells?immortalization and circumstances for the initiation of cancer stem cells. As the subunit of the telomerase， hTERT determines the activity of the telomerase by its expression. We have made great advancements on researches of the regulation of hTERT gene{$39}s transcription in rencent years. This is of great importance to reveal how the tumor is initiated， develops， and provides an effective target for targeting therapeutics.
Key words: hTERT; transcription; telomerase; cancer stem cell