Telomeres and Telomerase in Cancer

About this book

Telomeres and telomerase are the pivotal players that destine cellular senescence and immortalization. Telomere shortening due to "End-replication problem" in each cell cycle is a universal phenomenon for all eukaryotic cells with linear chromosomes. Its compensation by telomerase is also common from yeast to human. However, the length of telomeres, distribution of telomerase positive cells, and consequence of telomerase inhibition are different among species. "Telomeres and Telomerase in Cancers", edited by Keiko Hiyama, focuses on "Human" telomeres and telomerase, from basic biology and hypothesis in human normal cells and cancer cells to clinical application as diagnostic tools and therapeutic targets in anti-cancer strategy. Cutting-edge experimental protocols for their evaluation are also included. This coverage will enable medical oncologists and students as well as basic researchers to capture the up-to-date entire picture of human telomeres and telomerase in cancer.

Written for: Clinical doctors, pathologists, translational cancer researchers

Keywords:

• Binding Proteins
• DNA Damage
• Hematopoietic Malignancies
• Lengthening of Telomeres
• Stem Cell
• Telomerase Inhibitors
• Telomere G-tail Length
• Telomeres

Table of contents

Preface
Contributors

Part I. Basic background

1 Telomeres and Telomerase in Human
Keiko Hiyama, Eiso Hiyama, and Jerry W. Shay

2 Telomere Binding Proteins in Human
Nadya Dimitrova

3 Regulation of Telomerase through Transcriptional and Post-Translational Mechanisms
Amy N. Depcrynski, Patrick C. Sachs, Lynne W. Elmore, and Shawn E. Holt

4 Telomere Dysfunction and the DNA Damage Response
Malissa C. Diehl, Lynne W. Elmore, Shawn E. Holt

5 Alternative Lengthening of Telomeres (ALT) in Human Cells
Hilda A. Pickett and Roger R. Reddel

6 Mouse model: Telomeres and Telomerase in Stem Cell and Cancer
Xin Huang, Zhenyu Ju

Part II Telomeres and telomerase in human cancers

7 Role of Telomeres and Telomerase in Cancer
Keiko Hiyama, Eiso Hiyama, Keiji Tanimoto, Masahiko Nishiyama

8 Diagnostic Value 1: Solid Tumors
Eiso Hiyama and Keiko Hiyama

9 Diagnostic Value 2: Hematopoietic Malignancies
Junko H. Ohyashiki and Kazuma Ohyashiki

10 Therapeutic Targets and Drugs 1: Telomerase and Telomerase Inhibitors
Brittney-Shea Herbert and Erin M. Goldblatt

11 Therapeutic Targets and Drugs 2: G-quadruplex and G-quadruplex Inhibitors
Chandanamali Punchihewa and Danzhou Yang

12 Therapeutic Targets and Drugs 3: Tankyrase 1, Telomere Binding Proteins, and Inhibitors
Hiroyuki Seimiya and Takashi Tsuruo

13 Therapeutic Targets and Drugs 4: Telomerase-specific Gene and Vector-based Therapies for Human Cancer
Toshiyoshi Fujiwara, Yasuo Urata, and Noriaki Tanaka

Part III Experimental protocols

14 Protocol 1: Telomerase Activity and Telomerase Expression
Eiso Hiyama

15 Protocol 2: Importance and Methods of Telomere G-tail Length Quantification
Akira Shimamoto, Eriko Aoki, Angie M Sera, Hidetoshi Tahara

16 Protocol 3: Detection of Alternative Lengthening of Telomeres (ALT)
Wei-Qin Jiang, Jeremy D. Henson, Axel A. Neumann, and Roger R. Reddel

Index