Cancer Management and Research (Oct 2020)
Investigating the Effects of RBBP6 Gene Expression on Telomerase Activity in Cervical Cancer Cells
Abstract
Mpho Mosweu,1,* Lesetja Motadi,2,* Pontsho Moela1,* 1University of Pretoria, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Department of Biochemistry, Hatfield, Pretoria 0002, South Africa; 2University of Johannesburg, Faculty of Science, Department of Biochemistry, Auckland Park Campus, Auckland Park, Johannesburg 2050, South Africa*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Lesetja Motadi Department of Biochemistry Faculty of Science, C2 Lab421, Kingsway Campus, P.O. Box 524, Auckland Park, Johannesburg 2006, South AfricaEmail [email protected]: RBBP6 is one of the genes identified as a proliferative gene that plays a role in cancer development, On the other hand both RBBP6 and telomerase activity have been shown to be increase in various cancers. E6 protein of HPV and RBBP6 is known to enhance the progression of cancer cells by interacting with p53 and presenting it to be ubiquitinated by the proteasome thereby promoting cell proliferation and preventing apoptosis. Studies also show that HPV E6 protein can increase telomerase activity by activating the expression of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT), thus enabling the immortalization of the cells. With RBBP6 and hTERT showing a similar profile in cancer cells, we seek to investigate any possible effect of RBBP6 on telomerase activity.Results: Using real-time qPCR and TRAPeze RT Telomerase detection kit (Merc) respectively. We used cervical cancer cell lines in which CaSki cell showed the reduction of hTERT expression and reduction in telomerase activity significantly in RBBP6-knockdown cells. While no significant changes were observed in HeLa cells. Real-time growth assay revealed a significant drop in cell growth in co-silenced RBBP6 and hTERT cells substantiating our observation that RBBP6 might be playing a role in cell proliferation.Conclusion: Taken all together, the observed effect of RBBP6 gene silencing on telomerase activity in cervical cancer is cell line dependent.Keywords: telomerase activity, RBBP6, hTERT, cervical cancer, cell proliferation
