Abstract
The activation of telomerase is one of the key events in the malignant transition of cells, and the expression of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) is indispensable in the process of activating telomerase. The pre-mRNA alternative splicing of hTERT at the post-transcriptional level is one of the mechanisms for the regulation of telomerase activity. Shifts in splicing patterns occur in the development, tumorigenesis, and response to diverse stimuli in a tissue-specific and cell type–specific manner. Despite the regulation of telomerase activity, the alternative splicing of hTERT pre-mRNA may play a role in other cellular functions. Modulating the mode of hTERT pre-mRNA splicing is providing a new precept of therapy for cancer and aging-related diseases. This review focuses on the patterns of hTERT pre-mRNA alternative splicing and their biological functions, describes the potential association between the alternative splicing of hTERT pre-mRNA and telomerase activity, and discusses the possible significance of the alternative splicing of the hTERT pre-mRNA in the diagnosis, therapy, and prognosis of cancer and aging-related diseases.
Highlights
Human telomerase reverse transcriptase, the catalytic subunit of the telomerase holoenzyme complex, plays an important role in cell senescence and tumorigenesis
The results showed that the telomerase activity, total Human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) mRNA level, and β-deletion alternative splicing variants (ASVs)
Plenty of studies in the past decades have revealed that telomerase activity was involved in critical mechanisms in the genesis and progression of tumors
Summary
Xuewen Liu 1,2 , Yuchuan Wang 3,4 , Guangming Chang 5 , Feng Wang 6 , Fei Wang 7, * and.
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