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Discussion 6 – Cancer Research 31 31
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Directions: In the readings for this module, you learned about an enzyme
called telomerase. There has been some work linking this enzyme to some
forms of cancer. Research this topic on your own and discuss your findings
here. To earn full credit on this activity, summarize your findings and cite
your source(s). (Note: Please only include legitimate scientific sources. If
you have any questions on this, please contact your instructor prior to the
submission deadline.)
Submission: After you have posted your initial post, read and respond to
two or more of your classmates’ posts. Be sure to make substantive and
constructive comments (just posting “nice post” doesn’t count). For
example, add something from your own experience, something you’ve read
or seen. If the situation calls for it, feel free to state an opinion, but be sure
to state any points with which you agree and/or those with which you
disagree, as well as your reasons for agreeing or disagreeing.
Grading: This discussion is worth 30 points and will be graded using
the Discussion Rubric. Pease use it as a guide toward successful completion
of this assignment.
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Claudia Huerta (https://canvas.fscj.edu/courses/71848/users/137133)
Jun 25, 2023
After researching the link between the enzyme telomerase and cancer i have
concluded with the following findings. According to the National Cancer
Institute, telomerase is an enzyme that adds DNA sequence repeats to the
ends of chromosomes, called telomeres. Telomeres protect the ends of
chromosomes from deterioration or fusion with nearby chromosomes.
Telomerase is active in stem cells, allowing them to divide and replace
damaged or old cells. However, most normal cells do not have active
telomerase, and their telomeres shorten with each cell division until they
reach a critical length, which triggers senescence, or cell death (National
Cancer Institute, 2019).
In cancer cells, telomerase is reactivated, allowing the cells to divide
indefinitely without reaching senescence. This is one of the hallmarks of
cancer. While telomerase is not the only factor that contributes to cancer, its
activity is a key player in the development of some forms of cancer.
Research has shown that telomerase is active in about 90% of human
cancers, including some types of lung, prostate, breast, and pancreatic
cancer (National Cancer Institute, 2019). However, the exact role of
telomerase in cancer is still being studied, and it is not clear whether
telomerase is a cause or a consequence of cancer.
In conclusion, telomerase is an important enzyme in the regulation of cell
division, and its activity is associated with the development of some forms
of cancer. However, further research is needed to fully understand the
complex relationship between telomerase and cancer (Shay & Wright,
2019).
Sources:
National Cancer Institute. (2019). Telomeres and Telomerase in Cancer.
Retrieved from https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causesprevention/genetics/telomeres-fact-sheet
Shay, J. W., & Wright, W. E. (2019). Telomeres and Telomerase: Three
decades of progress. Nature Reviews Genetics, 20(5), 299-309.
doi:10.1038/s41576-019-0099-1
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Beyonce Miranda-Gomez (She/Her)
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Jun 27, 2023
Hello Claudia, i definitely appreciate your sources and statistics
within your research. It definitely helps me realize the impact of our
topic.
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Bonni Haber (She/Her)
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Jun 28, 2023
Claudia, I always enjoy reading your discussions, you have a very
clear way of breaking it down into simpler form! I’m eager to see as
more research develops what we’re able to do with this info!
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Brooklyn Rossi (https://canvas.fscj.edu/courses/71848/users/24335)
Jun 29, 2023
It is great that you made the point to differentiate it being a possible
cause or consequence. Whether it is cause or consequence, it;s study
could lead to monumental breakthroughs in cancer treatments. The
big importance about it is how the research is applied and gone
about. If it is the cause then studying how the enzyme that is causing
the problem is activated can be studied. If it is a consequence, then
scientist would need to look further into the cause of it and where it
comes from.
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Jomer Ibarreta
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Jun 30, 2023
Great discussion, Claudia! According to the information
provided by these sources, telomerase is an enzyme that has
been investigated for the possibility that it could either cause
or prevent cancer. Telomerase is the enzyme that is responsible
for the extension of telomeres, which are protective caps
located at the very end of chromosomes. When telomeres get
located at the very end of chromosomes. When telomeres get
too short, it can prevent cells from being able to divide, which
can eventually result in the death of the cell. Telomeres get
shorter as we age. Cancer cells have an excessively high level
of telomerase activity, which enables the cells to reproduce,
develop, and disseminate without being able to be stopped. It
is believed that this behavior is one of the primary causes of
cancer. On the other side, there are researchers who feel that
telomerase has the potential to be exploited in the treatment of
cancer. Telomerase could potentially aid to restore normal
cellular function by replenishing telomeres, which would also
have the effect of inhibiting the proliferation of cancer cells. In
any scenario, the study of telomerase is an intriguing field of
inquiry that may have important implications for the treatment
of cancer.
Bibliography
“Telomeres and Telomerase | American Cancer Society.”
American Cancer Society, www.cancer.org/cancer/cancercauses/genetics/telomeres-and-telomerase.html.
“Telomerase: Definition, Function and Role in Cancer.”
MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine,
medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002359.htm.
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Claudia Huerta
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Reply
Jul 1, 2023
Thank you. My mother and Grandmother both died in my arms after
enduring years of cancer. This is a subject I’m very passionate about.
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Beyonce Miranda-Gomez (She/Her)
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Jun 27, 2023
Cancer has always been a very difficult subject, from questions of a cure
to questioning the government. I have always had an interest in knowing
what genetically occurs with Cancer. In doing research on telomerase
enzymes, I have learned a lot about the topic. Firstly, Telomerase is an
enzyme that in the cells that has a ver crucial function in keeping the cell
alive by adding DNA to the end of the chromosomes, which we call
Telomeres. A fact that ties Cancer to telomerase enzymes is that cancer
cells usually have a higher telomerase count that normal cells. In the
article called, “National Cancer Institute,” it states, “Each time a cell
divides, the telomeres lose a small amount of DNA and become shorter.
Over time, the chromosomes become damaged and the cells die.
Telomerase helps keep this from happening.” This quote helps us
understand the true function and the importance of the telomerase
enzyme.
enzyme.
Initially, with the research and information given just now, I insinuated
that maybe Telomerase also helps keep cancerous cells alive, which in
the end, helps keep cancer long term in metastasis. If you think of it, if
telomerase helps keep cells from dying from small amount of DNA, it
could also keep cancerous cells from dying after metastasis. Metastasis
is when cancerous cells separate and travel through the lymph/blood
system to then create more tumors. So, when metastasis occurs, that
separation might affect any of the cancerous cells involved, which is
when telomerase comes in. They help keep those cancerous cells from
the affect of the process of separation and making more tumors. Hence
the long term and the large impact cancer does. However, that is still my
theory.
After doing research, I actually got it right! I am actually pleasantly
surprised with this! So, in the end, Telomerase is great for our cells and
DNA, but is bad when it comes to the topic of cancer. Maybe, this is why
it is so difficult to find a cure. If we somehow take telomerase out of the
picture, we have the new problem of weak and dying cells. Apparently,
chemotherapy agents can shorten telomere. Again, telomere is the DNA
at the end of the chromosome that is added by telomerase to keep the
cell alive. So, this confirms the fact that if we take out telomerase or
telomere, we have weak and dying cells. Dying cells have their own
complications and symptoms. In the end, cancer is very dangerous and
serious topic with many questions for a reason, it is very hard to find a
loophole without making more knots.
https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancerterms/def/telomerase
(https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancerterms/def/telomerase)
https://genomemedicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s1307
3-016-0324-x
(https://genomemedicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13073-016-
0324-x)
(https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancerterms/def/telomerase#:~:text=
(teh%2DLOH%2Dmeh%2D,helps%20keep%20this%20from%20happening.)
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Bonni Haber (She/Her)
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Jun 28, 2023
Beyonce, great addition to the discussion using the photo! The photo
is helpful showing the structure of the chromosome and the telomere
at the tips of the chromosome, gives a great visualization!
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Claudia Huerta
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Jul 1, 2023
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to for enriching your post
with a valuable diagram of a chromosome and telomerase. The
inclusion of this visual aid has enhanced my understanding of the
intricate mechanisms underlying cancer development and
progression. Your thoughtful contribution has made the topic more
accessible. ?
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Ashley Burris (https://canvas.fscj.edu/courses/71848/users/142506)
Jul 2, 2023
Reply
Response to Beyonce:
My initial thought when I began researching this topic was
chemotherapy, so then I began to wonder if chemotherapy aids in the
process of killing or slowing Telomerase. This information is slightly
unclear but it mostly leans to the idea that chemotherapy does
shorten telomeres as you have stated. I also found that stress
increases the speed of telomere shortening which is very ironic.
Cancer has to be one of the most stressful diagnoses to receive just
based on the unknown in my opinion. I eventually found a study that
stress can actually spread cancer faster as the increase in blood
supply can stimulate cancer cells. MIND BLOWN. This topic in
general has taken me down a rabbit hole!
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Alexis Clements
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Jul 3, 2023
Hello Beyonce,
Thank you for your response to the discussion board. The picture was
a nice addition to the discussion post. For those of us that are visual
learners it was very helpful. In addition, your response was also filled
with a lot of information in regards to this enzyme and its link to
certain cancers.
(https://canvas.fscj.edu/courses/71848/users/13719) Tiara Taylor (https://canvas.fscj.edu/courses/71848/users/13719)
Jun 27, 2023
I wish I knew a lot more on this topic versus having to do research on it.
From what I have collected, Telomerase is an enzyme that adds DNA
sequences to the ends of chromosomes, called telomeres. Telomeres
protect chromosomes from damage and shorten with each cell division.
When telomeres become too short, cells can no longer divide and
eventually die. Telomerase is present in most germ cells (sperm and egg
cells) and some stem cells, but it is not active in most adult cells. This is
why adult cells have a limited lifespan. In cancer cells, telomerase is
often reactivated, which allows them to divide indefinitely. This is one of
the reasons why cancer cells are so difficult to kill.
Some potential applications of telomerase research would be cancer
treatments (telomerase inhibitors could be used to prevent cancer cells
from dividing indefinitely), gene therapy (telomerase could be used to
deliver genes to cells, which could be used to treat genetic diseases),
and Telomerase and Cellular Senescence (telomerase has been explored
as a potential tool to delay cellular senescence and extend the lifespan of
cells. By replenishing telomeres, telomerase activation could potentially
overcome replicative senescence and prolong the proliferative capacity
of cells. This area of research holds promise for applications in
regenerative medicine and tissue engineering).
Although telomerase research has shown some promises, there are still
a lot of challenges and ethical considerations associated with its
application in human health. Additional research is necessary to
completely understand the complexities of telomerase regulation and its
potential benefits and risks in various contexts.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/neuroscience/telomerase#:~:
text=Telomerase%E2%80%94the%20enzyme%20responsible%20f
or,(TR)%20among%20other%20constituents
(https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/neuroscience/telomerase#:~:text=Te
lomerase%E2%80%94the%20enzyme%20responsible%20for,
(TR)%20among%20other%20constituents) .
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC120798/
(https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC120798/)
https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2009/09/410886/telomeres-andremarkable-telomerase-enzyme
(https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2009/09/410886/telomeres-and-remarkabletelomerase-enzyme)
https://www.genome.gov/genetics-glossary/Telomere
(https://www.genome.gov/genetics-glossary/Telomere)
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Brooklyn Rossi (https://canvas.fscj.edu/courses/71848/users/24335)
Jun 29, 2023
During my research, I did not find sources that elaborated on the
specific applications of the research on the telomerase could be
applied. I know a few people, including myself, that are highly likely to
develop cancer due to genetics. If scientists could discover
advancements in gene therapy, perhaps they could assist with
lowering high-risk individuals for cancer. according to the National
Cancer Institute,”Up to 10% of all cancers may be caused by
inherited genetic changes.”
The genetics of cancer. National Cancer Institute. (n.d.).
https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causesprevention/genetics#:~:text=Up%20to%2010%25%20of%20all,of%
20getting%20cancer%20is%20increased.
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Jomer Ibarreta
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Jun 30, 2023
Very interesting discussion, Tiara. Regarding the ethical implications
of employing telomerase for medical therapies, I would want to say
something, although the fact that this topic of telomerase has been
covered in considerable depth elsewhere. Despite the fact that
telomerase has the ability to treat age-related ailments and lengthen
lifespan, it might also be utilized to generate designer babies or to
enable those with more money live longer than those with less money.
This has led to ethical questions being asked about the ramifications
of such therapies and whether or not allowing this technology could
lead to a loss in social equality (Tripathi, 2020; Guarente, 2019).
These considerations have been raised as a result of the fact that
this has occurred. Before telomerase is widely utilized in medical
therapies, it is imperative that additional consideration be given to
the ethical considerations that may arise from its use.
Bibliography
Guarente, L. (2019). Telomerase, Aging, and Disease. Cell, 178(6),
1177-1186.
Tripathi, A. (2020). Ethical Considerations of the Use of Telomerase
in Medical Treatments. Perspectives in Clinical Research, 11(3), 88-
91.
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Ashley Burris (https://canvas.fscj.edu/courses/71848/users/142506)
Jul 2, 2023
Reply
Response to Tiara Taylor:
I also wish I had known more on this topic as my 10-year-old niece
has battled cancer twice beginning at the age of 3 and relapsing at
the age of 6. I searched for any information I could find on if
Telomerase would be higher in adults due to this being an aged cycle
compared to children but I was unsuccessful in finding a definitive
answer. Your statement, “Although telomerase research has shown
some promises, there are still a lot of challenges and ethical
considerations associated with its application in human health” was
very interesting to me so I researched that further. It took me down
an odd path that led to the idea of cloning. It is amazing what
scientific advances that we have the possibility of seeing in our
lifetime.
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Bonni Haber (She/Her)
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Jun 28, 2023
In order to explain what the enzyme telomerase’s function is and how it
is linked to some forms of
cancer, it is important to first know what telomere is. As defined by the
National Human Genome
National Human Genome
Research Institute, “A telomere is a region of repetitive DNA sequences
at the end of a chromosome.
Telomeres protect the ends of chromosomes from becoming frayed or
tangled. Each time a cell divides,
the telomeres become slightly shorter. Eventually, they become so short
that the cell can no longer divide
successfully, and the cell dies.” (Chadwick, 2023) In simple terms a
telomere simply protects the ends of
chromosomes from being damaged or getting hung up on anything.
In the process of cell division a small part of the telomere gets cut off. In
types of cells that divide alot an
enzyme called telomerase adds short caps of telomere back onto the
ends of the chromosome.
Telomerase is present in most cells but over time it’s production
declines. So basically with telomerase
the chromosome can continue to keep adding onto the end of the
telomere cap and continue to function
and replicate. Without it the cell can eventually become to short and die
off.
This process has lead some scientists to believe that telomerase is the
secret to anti-aging. If you google
telomerase there is actually alot of supplements that pop up. However,
the problem is human tumor cells
derived from carcinomas seem to use telomerase to their advantage.
They seem to bypass DNA damage
signaling which eventually at the end leads to telomerase engagement.
This enables the cancer cells to
continually rebuild (add back on to the telomere cap) and divide and
replicate. According to the National
Library of Medicine, “Telomerase, is detected in approximately 90% of all
malignant tumors [7], may
predict poor or favorable outcome [18], thus making telomerase both a
highly attractive biomarker and
target for the development of mechanism-based cancer diagnostics,
prognostics, and therapeutics.”
(Shay, 2011)
Chadwick, L. H., Ph.D. (2023, June 23). Telomere. National Human
Genome Research Institute.
Retrieved June 28, 2023, from https://www.genome.gov/geneticsglossary/Telomere (https://www.genome.gov/geneticsglossary/Telomere)
Shay, J. W., & Wright, W. E. (2011). Role of telomeres and telomerase in
cancer. Seminars in cancer
biology, 21(6), 349–353. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.semcancer.2011.10.001
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Tiara Taylor (https://canvas.fscj.edu/courses/71848/users/13719)
Jun 30, 2023
Reply
Hi Bonni,
I like where you mentioned if you google telomerase there is actually
a lot of supplements that pop up. Because, I had a hard time with
this discussion as I saw so many different things that came up and
deciding which information was legit and which wasn’t. Like I went
and looked up when you mentioned human tumor cells derived from
carcinomas seem to use telomerase to their advantage. It seems that
there is still a lot to be researched and learned in regards to
telomerase. I hope that with how science is more and more on the
forefront with people realizing science can help change/improve lives
that we are able to be able to better determine things and how they
function and what causes them so it an be caught early on. Great
post!
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Robin Patterson (https://canvas.fscj.edu/courses/71848/users/148704)
Jun 28, 2023
Reply
Our DNS is at risk of damage so at the ends of DNS segments called
telomeres limit the damage. They also shield coding from the impacts of
normal DNA replication. Over time through DNA replication telomeres
get shorter and shorter with each round. Once they become too short to
limit damage they die off or in other words the go to an arrested state
known as senescence. This process helps with the number of times a cell
can replicate preventing unregulated growth. Unregulated growth is
synonymous with cancer.
Most cancer cells have telomerase which is normally turned off in most
cells. When the length of telomere is maintained cancer cells avoid
shortening and senescence. This is how telomerase cancer cells can
divide without limitation. To make things worse, telomere shortening can
also lead to cancer cells because the DNA is susceptible to damage
which can cause cancer.
Not only does telomeres create cancer, the length of them also has
consequences. In some types of cancers shortened telomeres increase
the risk of metastasis. Multiple things can affect telomeres length and
directly affect several types of cancers. To name a few is obesity, physical
activity, hereditary mutations and gene mutations.
https://www.aacr.org/blog/2022/09/16/the-end-game-targetingtelomere-processing-in-cancer/
(https://www.aacr.org/blog/2022/09/16/the-end-game-targeting-telomereprocessing-in-cancer/)
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Brooklyn Rossi (https://canvas.fscj.edu/courses/71848/users/24335)
Jun 29, 2023
There is a lot of evidence to the link between telomerase and cancer.
Telomeres are the tips caps on the ends of chromosomes that protect.
Their length is linked to aging do to the fact that it shortens a little more
every time the cell divides. Once it gets too short, it is signals the cell to
stop replicating and/or essentially “die.” In cancer cells, this the
Telomeres are longer then normal and replicate faster. This is basically
makes the cells larger, live longer, and reproduce faster. They achieve
these longer telomeres because they activate telomerases enzymes that
continually add to the telomeres. These cells can not die because of this
interaction. It has been found that the telomerases is inactive in normal
cells, but a large majority of cancer cells have it active. Scientist have not
figured out how to target this protein. It is a promising way to look in
cancer treatment because if its link to making cancer cells “immortal.”
We can hope in the future the focus on this can develop a drug to
prevent cancer or even its spread.
Are telomeres the key to aging and cancer. (n.d.).
https://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/basics/telomeres#:~:text=If%20it
s%20telomeres%20get%20too,kidney%2C%20and%20head%20and%
20neck
Robinson, N. J., & Schiemann, W. P. (2022, February 5). Telomerase in
cancer: Function, regulation, and clinical translation. Cancers.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8834434/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8834434/
(https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8834434/)
Staff, D.-F. (2022, April 13). What are telomeres and how do they play a
role in cancer?: Dana-Farber. Dana. https://blog.danafarber.org/insight/2020/11/what-are-telomeres-and-how-do-theyplay-a-role-incancer/#:~:text=Cancer%20cells%20often%20avoid%20senescenc
e,causing%20senescence%20or%20cell%20death
(https://blog.dana-farber.org/insight/2020/11/what-are-telomeres-and-howdo-they-play-a-role-incancer/#:~:text=Cancer%20cells%20often%20avoid%20senescence,causin
g%20senescence%20or%20cell%20death)
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Corbin Miller (https://canvas.fscj.edu/courses/71848/users/54253)
Jul 1, 2023
Reply
Hello Brooklyn,
I liked how you explained the reasoning that the telomerase enzyme
is needed, gave good background knowledge to help explain. I also
think that this enzyme, with the right amount of research, might be
the key to help those affected by cancer and hopefully one day be in
a world where cancer is a thing of the past.
Great discussion!
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Jomer Ibarreta (https://canvas.fscj.edu/courses/71848/users/26650)
Jun 30, 2023
The telomerase enzyme is a naturally occurring enzyme that can be found
in human bodies and has been associated with a higher risk of
developing cancer. It has been demonstrated to play a part in the
replication and preservation of chromosomal DNA throughout the
process of cell division, which is of utmost importance in the fight
against cancer. Researchers have discovered that elevating levels of the
telomerase enzyme can play a role in warding off the development of
cancer. In addition to this, the telomerase enzyme can assist in the
repair of telomeres that have become damaged as a result of the effects
of aging or other environmental variables. This can assist in lowering the
likelihood that the body will develop cancer. Telomerase enzyme is an
enzyme that helps to maintain the length of telomeres, which are areas
enzyme that helps to maintain the length of telomeres, which are areas
of repeating nucleotide sequences at the end of chromosomes that serve
to protect the end of the chromosome from being degraded. Telomeres
are maintained at a healthy length by an enzyme called telomerase
enzyme. On the other hand, telomerase has been linked to a number of
different kinds of cancer, such as glioblastoma, breast cancer, and
leukemia. Research has shown that the activity of telomerase is
significantly higher in cancer cells than it is in normal cells. This finding
lends credence to the theory that telomerase may play a role in the
progression of some cancers. More study is required in order to have a
better understanding of the role that telomerase plays in cancer.
Bibliography:
“Telomerase Activity in Cancer.” Cancer.Net, American Society of Clinical
Oncology, www.cancer.net/navigating-cancer-care/prevention-andhealthy-living/telomerase-activity-cancer.
Pellacani, David. “Telomerase Enzymes and Cancer.” National Center for
Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 11 Dec.
2019, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3966014/.In conclusion,
telomerase enzyme has an important role in preventing cancer and
reducing the risk of it developing in the body.
“Telomerase Enzyme: What Is It and What Does It Do?” Encyclopedia
Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/science/telomerase-enzyme.
“Telomerase and Cancer: What Are the Links?” National Cancer Institute,
National Institutes of Health, https://www.cancer.gov/aboutcancer/causes-prevention/genetics/telomerase-fact-sheet.
Reply
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Corbin Miller (https://canvas.fscj.edu/courses/71848/users/54253)
Jul 1, 2023
Hello Jomer,
I liked with how in-depth you went with the ways and types of cancer
that can be apparent with telomerase involved, I did not know that it
could lead to that many different types of cancer. I also did not know
that they are researching that adding more of the telomerase enzyme
can actually lead to warding off cancerous type cells.
Great discussion!
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Corbin Miller (https://canvas.fscj.edu/courses/71848/users/54253)
Jul 1, 2023
Telomerase can play a role in the development of cancerous like tumors.
It all starts with something called telomeres. As stated by the The
National Institute of Medicine “Telomeres consist of a capping structure,
which is a specialized nucleoprotein structure consisting of DNA and
shelterin protein complexes.”(Shammas, 2011). These “end caps” are on
both sides of the chromosome to help protect them from a nucleolytic
degradation along with unnecessary repair. As cells divide to form more
cells these telomere end caps start to break down and get thinner as
cells these telomere end caps start to break down and get thinner as
more cell division happens. This is where an enzyme called Telomerase
comes in, this enzyme helps repairs these end caps to help reverse the
effects of the DNA loss from replication. The issue with this is that it can
promote the instability of the genome which can stimulate the beginning
of early stages of cancer. These enzymes are actually crucial for the start
and survival of cancerous tumors as well (Jafri et al., 2016). It is due to
the uncontrollability of cell division, it just keeps dividing creating more
and more. In the end, Telomerase is crucial to the continuation of healthy
cell division but can also be more harmful than good as it can promote
and sustain cancerous cells.
Cited sources:
Jafri, M. A., Ansari, S. A., Alqahtani, M. H., & Shay, J. W. (2016, June 20).
Roles of telomeres and telomerase in cancer, and advances in
telomerase-targeted therapies. Genome medicine.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4915101/
(https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4915101/)
Shammas, M. A. (2011, January). Telomeres, lifestyle, cancer, and aging.
Current opinion in clinical nutrition and metabolic care.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3370421/#:~:text=Telomer
es%2C%20the%20specific%20DNA%E2%80%93protein,the%20infor
mation%20in%20our%20genome.
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Robin Patterson
(https://canvas.fscj.edu/courses/71848/users/148704)
Jul 3, 2023
Reply
Hi Corbin,
This assignment has be intriguing to me. As you mention telomerase
is necessary for healthy cell division but is devastating with cancer
cells. Our bodies and its design is so complex and any little
disruption can send it into a tailspin. This is also something that I
took from a previous discussion on genetic disorders.
(https://canvas.fscj.edu/courses/71848/users/142506)
Ashley Burris (https://canvas.fscj.edu/courses/71848/users/142506)
Jul 2, 2023
Telomerase is an enzyme that can be linked to cancers such as
pancreatic, bone, prostate, bladder, lung, kidney, head, and neck. These
structures are intended to cap off the ends of chromosomes to protect
DNA from damage. “Telomeres, repetitive (TTAGGG) DNA–protein
complexes at the ends of chromosomes, are crucial for the survival of
cancer cells.” (Shay 2016). “This is possible because the cancer cells
activate an enzyme called telomerase, which adds genetic units onto the
telomeres to prevent them from shortening to the point of causing
senescence or cell death.” (Lindsley 2020). In layman’s terms, every time
the cell divides itself it loses telomeres, the cancer cells initiate a
process to stop the loss of the telomeres so it can grow. There have also
been studies that our life span could be elongated by activating
telomerase. However, the downside of this would be a high percentage
risk of developing cancer as the elongation is what stabilizes the cancer
cells to help them grow. “The limited capacity that cells have to divide is
a good thing because as cells divide, they make mistakes in replicating
their genome. Those mistakes, or mutations, can cause cancer.”
(McKelvey 2020).
Jerry W. Shay, “Roles of telomeres in cancer and advances in telomerase targeted therapies”, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov) , Genome Med, June 20, 2016.
Coleman Lindsley, MD, PhD, “What are telomeres and how do they play a
role in cancer?”, www.blog.dana-farber.org, Dana-Farber Research,
November 17, 2020.
Brittany Avin McKelvey, “Live forever? Cancer and the darker side of
telomerase”, www.oncobites.blog, May 20, 2020.
(https://canvas.fscj.edu/courses/71848/users/13719)
Tiara Taylor (https://canvas.fscj.edu/courses/71848/users/13719)
Jul 3, 2023
Hi Ashley,
I really didn’t know much about this topic, but it was interesting in
learning about some of the factors, how it seemed to come about and
what is being done to learn more and more about it. I will say that I
was a little nervous reading some of the information in regards to
this topic. One part that was rather frightening to read was when you
mentioned that “the downside of this would be a high percentage risk
of developing cancer as the elongation is what stabilizes the cancer
cells to help them grow”, as I did read that as well. I really hope that
science gets more respect so that people can know that it’s to help
save lives and be able to help us better predict things. Nice post.
(https://canvas.fscj.edu/courses/71848/users/137316)
Alexis Clements
(https://canvas.fscj.edu/courses/71848/users/137316)
Jul 3, 2023
Reply
Hello Ashley,
Thank you for your response to the discussion board. Even though I
did my own research on the topic, I still did not know what types of
cancer this enzyme was linked to causing. I appreciate you listing
some, if not all, the cancers linked to Telomerase. This was a great
addition to the discussion board. Thank you for the details and
information you added.
(https://canvas.fscj.edu/courses/71848/users/139670)
Brianna Neeley (https://canvas.fscj.edu/courses/71848/users/139670)
Jul 3, 2023
On my research concerning telomerase I have found that it is actually
quite popular as a supplement oddly enough. To see that this enzyme is
linked to causing cancer but still actually has positive effects enough to
be sold on the market is quite fascinating. I am sure everyone on this
discussion will write about its adverse effects so I will instead add some
research on how it is positive for our body’s makeup.
So there was a lot of good sources sharing information about Telomerase
supplements. Telomerase supplements are products that are made to
increase the activity of Telomerase, an enzyme that helps maintain
telomeres, the protective tip of chromosomes. Telomeres tend to shorten
with age which contributes to aging and disease. Telomerase
supplements contain nutrients that activate telomerase like astragalus
supplements contain nutrients that activate telomerase like astragalus
root extract, korean ginseng extract, and vitamin D to name a few. These
supplements have anti-aging and health benefits.
A chromosome is essentially a long, long piece of DNA that has really
wrapped itself up. The problem is that the long piece of DNA has two
ends, and they’re just hanging out there loose. A lot of things could go
wrong if those ends aren’t protected. They could get cut off, or they could
join onto other loose DNA ends, which could be a problem for the cell.
Telomeres are how cells protect chromosome ends. The telomere itself is
a long stretch of a specific short DNA sequence repeated over and over.
At the very end of the telomere is a sort of knot called the “T-loop,” which
keeps the chromosome ends from all sticking together. Every time a cell
divides, some of those telomere repeats get cut off. So in certain cell
types that divide a lot, an enzyme called “telomerase” adds those repeats
back so the telomere doesn’t get too short. Telomeres are important for
keeping our cells healthy and young.
Sources:
“Telomere.” Genome.gov, www.genome.gov/genetics-glossary/Telomere.
Hornsby, Peter J. “Telomerase and the Aging Process.” Experimental
Gerontology, vol. 42, no. 7, Elsevier BV, July 2007, pp. 575–81,
doi:10.1016/j.exger.2007.03.007.
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Robin Patterson
(https://canvas.fscj.edu/courses/71848/users/148704)
Jul 3, 2023
Reply
Hi Brianna,
I personally take vitamin D and did not realize that it is a telomerase
supplement. It makes me wonder if physicians have cancer patients
stop taking known telomerase supplements after diagnosis. Its
obvious telomerase is necessary to protect our DNA but it also
appears to have very negative effects as well with cancer patients.
(https://canvas.fscj.edu/courses/71848/users/137316)
Alexis Clements (https://canvas.fscj.edu/courses/71848/users/137316)
Jul 3, 2023
Reply
Telomerase is an enzyme that plays a crucial role in the maintenance and
preservation of the telomeres, which are protective caps at the ends of
chromosomes. Telomerase activity is exhibited in gametes, stem cells,
and tumor cells. Research has shown that upregulation of telomerase
activity is closely associated with the development and progression of
various types of cancer. Telomeres protect the ends of chromosomes and
shorten with each round of cell division. When telomeres become
critically short, cells typically undergo senescence or apoptosis. By
maintaining the length of telomeres, cancer cells can avoid senescence
and continue to divide uncontrollably, leading to the formation of tumors.
Telomerase activation is often associated with more aggressive tumor
behavior and metastasis. Extended telomeres provide cancer cells with
enhanced genomic stability and allow them to evade the mechanisms
that typically suppress tumor growth.
https://blog.dana-farber.org/insight/2020/11/what-are-telomeresand-how-do-they-play-a-role-incancer/#:~:text=Cancer%20cells%20often%20avoid%20senescenc
e,causing%20senescence%20or%20cell%20death
(https://blog.dana-farber.org/insight/2020/11/what-are-telomeres-and-howdo-they-play-a-role-incancer/#:~:text=Cancer%20cells%20often%20avoid%20senescence,causin
g%20senescence%20or%20cell%20death) .
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8834434/
(https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8834434/)
(https://canvas.fscj.edu/courses/71848/users/113155) Cori Perry (https://canvas.fscj.edu/courses/71848/users/113155)
Friday
Telomeres are repetitive nucleotide sequences at each end of a
chromosome that protect the end of the chromosome from deterioration
or from fusion with neighboring chromosomes.
Telomerase is an enzyme in a eukaryote that repairs the telomeres of the
chromosomes so that they do not become progressively shorter during
successive rounds of chromosome replication. As your chromosomes
replicate, your telomeres shorten. Telomerase helps prevent too much
wear and tear.
Telomerase is an enzyme found inside our cells, which may be related to
the aging process. It adds short, repetitive “caps” to our DNA strands.
These caps are called “telomeres.”
Scientists believe that the loss of telomeres leads to eventual loss of
important, coding regions of DNA, and that this impairs cells’ ability to
divide and produce healthy daughter cells over time.
This idea is supported by studies finding that mice which lack the
enzyme telomerase appear to age and develop age-related diseases
faster than normal mice. These effects of premature aging can actually
be reversed by artificially adding telomerase to mouse cells!
These findings have led some scientists to speculate that telomerase
may be a potential “fountain of youth” which, if used properly, could stop
the aging process and keep our cells young and healthy indefinitely.
Other scientists, however, caution that there is not sufficient data to
believe that is true, and that artificially adding telomerase to our bodies
could increase our risk of cancer. (Biology Dictionary)
Reply
could increase our risk of cancer. (Biology Dictionary)
The maintenance of telomeres by the
cellular ribonucleoprotein enzyme telomerase is of well-documented
importance for cancer. Telomerase, a cellular reverse transcriptase that
adds DNA to the ends of chromosomes, is reactivated or upregulated in
the vast majority of advanced malignancies and is thus an almost
universal target for the treatment of human cancers. Most human tumors
not only express telomerase but also have very short telomeres, whereas
telomerase activity is absent or at lower levels in normal tissues which
also have longer telomeres. This relationship between activation of
telomerase activity and short telomeres in human malignancies makes
the inhibition of telomerase a valuable target for cancer therapeutics.
(Lans dorp, Peter)
In conclusion, while there is much more studying and research to be
done on telomerase, it seems that all signs are pointing to it being an
extremely valuable weapon in helping cancer treatments.
Biology Dictionary. “Telomerase.” Biology Dictionary, July 2017,
biologydictionary.net/telomerase.
Lans dorp, Peter M. “Telomeres and Telomerase Regulation.” Elsevier
eBooks, 2004, pp. 127–37. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-012436643-
5/50101-2.
