Project information
Topographic and functional characterization of telomeres in various tumor cell lines determined in situ and in vivo

Investor logo
Project Identification
GP204/05/P090
Project Period
1/2005 - 12/2007
Investor / Pogramme / Project type
Czech Science Foundation
MU Faculty or unit
Faculty of Informatics
Keywords
topography of telomeres;telomere association;telomere dynamics;ALT;nuclear architecture;apoptosis;cell cycle;telomerase;tumor cell

All human tumors as well as immortalized cell lines, which have been analyzed so far, can be characterized by mechanisms maintaining viable length of telomeres and thus stabilizing malignant and immortalized phenotype of these cells. The ribonucleoprotein enzyme, known as telomerase, elongates telomeres in most tumors (85 to 90%) by the process of reverse-transcription. On the other hand, there are rare telomerase-negative tumors, which are provided with alternative mechanism for telomere elongation based on inter-telomeric homologous recombination. The presented project will concentrate on detailed in situ and in vivo analysis of topography and dynamics of telomeres during cell cycle, apoptosis, and after cell fusion in healthy cells and tumor cell lines with various mechanisms of telomere elongation. This structural analysis will be supplemented with functional analysis of telomeres; i.e. measurement of telomere length and level of telomerase expression and activity. Obtained results will help us better understand the origin and regulation of tumorigenesis and cellular immortalization and thus can lead to discovery of new therapies for cancer treatment.

Results

Publications

Total number of publications: 8


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