Regulation and clinical potential of telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT/hTERT) in breast cancer.

ABSTRACT: Telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT/hTERT) serves as the pivotal catalytic subunit of telomerase, a crucial enzyme responsible for telomere maintenance and human genome stability. The high activation of hTERT, observed in over 90% of tumors, plays a significant role in tumor initiation and progression. An in-depth exploration of hTERT activation mechanisms in cancer holds promise for advancing our understanding of the disease and developing more effective treatment strategies. In breast cancer, the expression of hTERT is regulated by epigenetic, transcriptional, post-translational modification mechanisms and DNA variation. Besides its canonical function in telomere maintenance, hTERT exerts non-canonical roles that contribute to disease progression through telomerase-independent mechani

SUBMITTER: Yang R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10463831 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature