The expression of human telomerase-associated protein hTERT and TEP1 in cord blood stem/progenitor cells and its significance / 中华血液学杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the regulatory effects of hTERT and TEP1 on telomerase activity in hematopoiesis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The hTERT and TEP1 mRNA expression was detected by RT-PCR and the telomerase activi-ty by TRAP.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In mononuclear cells (MNC) and CD(34)(-) cells, no detectable telomerase activity and hTERT mRNA expression were found. CD(34)(+) cells showed hTERT expression and a low level telomerase activity. TEP1 mRNA was detected in MNC, CD(34)(-) and CD(34)(+) cells with no significant difference in the expression level. In the CD(34)(+) cells cultured in vitro with growth factors for 7 days, the telomerase activity and the expression of hTERT mRNA were upregulated, but were downregulated in the long time culture. No significant changes in TEP1 expression was observed.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>In the course of hematopoiesis, hTERT mRNA expression was in accordance with telomerase activity, hTERT gene plays a crucial role in the expression of telomerase activity, while TEP1 gene plays, if any, a much smaller role.</p>