| First Author | Hoffmeyer K | Year | 2012 |
| Journal | Science | Volume | 336 |
| Issue | 6088 | Pages | 1549-54 |
| PubMed ID | 22723415 | Mgi Jnum | J:185349 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:5428344 | Doi | 10.1126/science.1218370 |
| Citation | Hoffmeyer K, et al. (2012) Wnt/beta-catenin signaling regulates telomerase in stem cells and cancer cells. Science 336(6088):1549-54 |
| abstractText | Telomerase activity controls telomere length and plays a pivotal role in stem cells, aging, and cancer. Here, we report a molecular link between Wnt/beta-catenin signaling and the expression of the telomerase subunit Tert. beta-Catenin-deficient mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells have short telomeres; conversely, ES cell expressing an activated form of beta-catenin (beta-cat(DeltaEx3/+)) have long telomeres. We show that beta-catenin regulates Tert expression through the interaction with Klf4, a core component of the pluripotency transcriptional network. beta-Catenin binds to the Tert promoter in a mouse intestinal tumor model and in human carcinoma cells. We uncover a previously unknown link between the stem cell and oncogenic potential whereby beta-catenin regulates Tert expression, and thereby telomere length, which could be critical in human regenerative therapy and cancer. |
