Telomerase Activity and Metastasis: Expansion of Cells Having Higher Telomerase Activity within Culture Lines and Tumor Tissues |
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Authors: | Yoshiyuki Saito Shin-ichi Kosugi Takeshi Suda Yuichi Wakabayashi Yukio Mishima Katsuyoshi Hatakeyama Ryo Kominami |
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Affiliation: | First Department of Biochemistry, Niigata University School of Medicine, 1-757 Asahimachi-doori, Niigata 951;First Department of Surgery, Niigata University School of Medicine, 1-757 Asahimachi-doori, Niigata 951 |
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Abstract: | Tumor cells with metastatie potential may have a high telomerase activity that augments telomeric DNA repeats, allowing the cells to escape from the inhibition of cell proliferation due to shortened telomeres. We examined the expression level of telomerase activity using the telomeric repeat amplification protocol among a series of cell lines obtained by repeated transplantation of a mouse fibrosarcoma. The lines could be grouped into three; one has no metastatic potential, and the other two show metastatic abilities after intravenous or subcutaneous injection. Comparison of their telomerase activity indicated that more malignant lines had higher activity. A similar relation was seen in metastatic nodules formed through clonal expansion from the heterogeneous population of inoculated cells; clonality was monitored in terms of variable patterns of subtelomeric repeats. The results suggest that a high level of telomerase activity may not be requisite for metastasis, but may confer a propensity to dominate in a tumor tissue. |
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Keywords: | Telomere Telomerase activity Metastasis |
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