Reciprocal impacts of telomerase activity and ADRN/MES differentiation state in neuroblastoma tumor biology.

ABSTRACT: Telomere maintenance and tumor cell differentiation have been separately implicated in neuroblastoma malignancy. Their mechanistic connection is unclear. We analyzed neuroblastoma cell lines and morphologic subclones representing the adrenergic (ADRN) and mesenchymal (MES) differentiation states and uncovered sharp differences in their telomere protein and telomerase activity levels. Pharmacologic conversion of ADRN into MES cells elicited consistent and robust changes in the expression of telomere-related proteins. Conversely, stringent down-regulation of telomerase activity triggers the differentiation of ADRN into MES cells, which was reversible upon telomerase up-regulation. Interestingly, the MES differentiation state is associated with elevated levels of innate immunity factors, incl

SUBMITTER: Yu EY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8604896 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature