Non-canonical functions of Telomerase Reverse Transcriptase – Impact on redox homeostasis
Julia Rosen,
Philipp Jakobs,
Niloofar Ale-Agha,
Joachim Altschmied,
Judith Haendeler
Affiliations
Julia Rosen
Environmentally-induced Cardiovascular Degeneration, Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Diagnostics, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany; IUF-Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Düsseldorf, Germany
Philipp Jakobs
Environmentally-induced Cardiovascular Degeneration, Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Diagnostics, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany; IUF-Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Düsseldorf, Germany
Niloofar Ale-Agha
Environmentally-induced Cardiovascular Degeneration, Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Diagnostics, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany; IUF-Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Düsseldorf, Germany
Joachim Altschmied
IUF-Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Düsseldorf, Germany; Corresponding author. IUF-Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Auf'm Hennekamp 50, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany.
Judith Haendeler
Environmentally-induced Cardiovascular Degeneration, Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Diagnostics, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany; IUF-Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Düsseldorf, Germany; Corresponding author. Environmentally-induced Cardiovascular Degeneration, Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Diagnostics, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf and IUF-Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Auf'm Hennekamp 50, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany.
Telomerase consists of the catalytic subunit Telomerase Reverse Transcriptase (TERT) and the Telomerase RNA Component. Its canonical function is the prevention of telomere erosion. Over the last years it became evident that TERT is also present in tissues with low replicative potential. Important non-canonical functions of TERT are protection against apoptosis and maintenance of the cellular redox homeostasis in cancer as well as in somatic tissues. Intriguingly, TERT and reactive oxygen species (ROS) are interdependent on each other, with TERT being regulated by changes in the redox balance and itself controlling ROS levels in the cytosol and in the mitochondria. The latter is achieved because TERT is present in the mitochondria, where it protects mitochondrial DNA and maintains levels of anti-oxidative enzymes. Since numerous diseases are associated with oxidative stress, increasing the mitochondrial TERT level could be of therapeutic value.
