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Telomerase expression in human somatic cells does not induce changes associated with a transformed phenotype

1999; Nature Portfolio; Volume: 21; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1038/5056

1546-1718

Xu‐Rong Jiang, Gretchen S. Jimenez, Edwin Chang, Maria Frolkis, Brenda Kusler, Marijke Sage, Michelle Beeche, Andrea Bodnár, Geoffrey M. Wahl, Thea D. Tlsty, Choy‐Pik Chiu,

DNA Repair Mechanisms

Expression of the human telomerase catalytic component, hTERT, in normal human somatic cells can reconstitute telomerase activity and extend their replicative lifespan1,2. We report here that at twice the normal number of population doublings, telomerase-expressing human skin fibroblasts (BJ-hTERT) and retinal pigment epithelial cells (RPE-hTERT) retain normal growth control in response to serum deprivation, high cell density, G1 or G2 phase blockers and spindle inhibitors. In addition, we observed no cell growth in soft agar and detected no tumour formation in vivo. Thus, we find that telomerase expression in normal cells does not appear to induce changes associated with a malignant phenotype.