RESUMEN
Human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) plays a central role in telomere lengthening for continuous cell proliferation, but it remains unclear how extracellular cues regulate telomerase lengthening of telomeres. Here we report that the cytokine bone morphogenetic protein-7 (BMP7) induces the hTERT gene repression in a BMPRII receptor- and Smad3-dependent manner in human breast cancer cells. Chonic exposure of human breast cancer cells to BMP7 results in short telomeres, cell senescence and apoptosis. Mutation of the BMPRII receptor, but not TGFbRII, ACTRIIA or ACTRIIB receptor, inhibits BMP7-induced repression of the hTERT gene promoter activity, leading to increased telomerase activity, lengthened telomeres and continued cell proliferation. Expression of hTERT prevents BMP7-induced breast cancer cell senescence and apoptosis. Thus, our data suggest that BMP7 induces breast cancer cell aging by a mechanism involving BMPRII receptor- and Smad3-mediated repression of the hTERT gene.
Asunto(s)
Femenino , Humanos , Proteína 2 Relacionada con la Actina , Genética , Metabolismo , Receptores de Activinas Tipo II , Genética , Metabolismo , Proteína Morfogenética Ósea 7 , Genética , Metabolismo , Receptores de Proteínas Morfogenéticas Óseas de Tipo II , Genética , Metabolismo , Neoplasias de la Mama , Genética , Metabolismo , Senescencia Celular , Células HeLa , Células MCF-7 , Proteínas de Neoplasias , Genética , Metabolismo , Proteínas Serina-Treonina Quinasas , Genética , Metabolismo , Receptor Tipo II de Factor de Crecimiento Transformador beta , Receptores de Factores de Crecimiento Transformadores beta , Genética , Metabolismo , Proteína smad3 , Genética , Metabolismo , Telomerasa , Genética , Metabolismo , Homeostasis del TelómeroRESUMEN
Estrogen is implicated as playing an important role in aging and tumorigenesis of estrogen responsive tissues; however the mechanisms underlying the mitogenic actions of estrogen are not fully understood. Here we report that estrogen deficiency in mice caused by targeted disruption of the aromatase gene results in a significant inhibition of telomerase maintenance of telomeres in mouse ovaries in a tissue-specific manner. The inhibition entails a significant shortening of telomeres and compromised proliferation in the follicular granulosa cell compartment of ovary. Gene expression analysis showed decreased levels of proto-oncogene c-Myc and the telomerase catalytic subunit, telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT), in response to estrogen deficiency. Estrogen replacement therapy led to increases in TERT gene expression, telomerase activity, telomere length and ovarian tissue growth, thereby reinstating ovary development to normal in four weeks. Our data demonstrate for the first time that telomere maintenance is the primary mechanism mediating the mitogenic effect of estrogen on ovarian granulosa cell proliferation by upregulating the genes of c-Myc and TERT in vivo. Estrogen deficiency or over-activity may cause ovarian tissue aging or tumorigenesis, respectively, through estrogen regulation of telomere remodeling.