The effect of telomeres on aging and cancer is very important. Telomere is a necessary structure for the continuous preliferation of human cells and is vital for most cancer cells. Telomeric structures located at the ends of the chromosomes consist of TTAGGG repeat units. Telomere terminal transferase is the enzyme responsible for telomere synthesis. It is also a large enzyme complex. Reverse transcriptase provides activation by strengthening the wearing parts after high telomere loss. In addition, it has been suggested that there are cancer cells that do not have telomerase activity but are able to extend the length of telomeres. In the timeframe of cellular division, telomerase enzyme can repair these errors if telomere sequences are lost. In cases where it is not repaired, the protection of these areas is eliminated. Thus, shortening occurs at the ends of the chromosomes. It has been researched by scientists that this shortening causes cellular aging. Reverse transcriptase enzyme has been reported to cause tumorigenic transformation of human epithelial cells and fibroblasts by cooperating with a number of oncogenes and suppressing several tumor suppressor genes. Studies on telomere shortening prove that this enzyme can have a strong effect in the treatment of cancer and is an important development for many patients who are expecting hope. Studies conducted in recent years are among the ideas that the structures and telomerase activity of telomere regions play an active role in cell aging and cancer formation. In the light of all these data, there is not a complete solution of aging, but studies are still ongoing today and major steps have been taken regarding cancer treatment. In this review, the definition of telomeres, their purpose, measurement methods and current studies are given.
Primary Language | English |
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Journal Section | Review |
Authors | |
Publication Date | December 31, 2020 |
Submission Date | April 18, 2020 |
Published in Issue | Year 2020 Issue: 045 |