Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 26, 2026

Utilizing Murine Inducible Telomerase Alleles in the Studies of Tissue Degeneration/Regeneration and Cancer
Published on: April 13, 2015
Telomerase Induction in HPV Infection and Oncogenesis
1Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA 98101, USA. rkatzen@uw.edu.
Abstract:
Telomerase extends the repetitive DNA at the ends of linear chromosomes, and it is normally active in stem cells. When expressed in somatic diploid cells, it can lead to cellular immortalization. Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are associated with and high-risk for cancer activate telomerase through the catalytic subunit of telomerase, human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT). The expression of hTERT is affected by both high-risk HPVs, E6 and E7. Seminal studies over the last two decades have identified the transcriptional, epigenetic, and post-transcriptional roles high-risk E6 and E7 have in telomerase induction. This review will summarize these findings during infection and highlight the importance of telomerase activation as an oncogenic pathway in HPV-associated cancer development and progression.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Replicative Cell Senescence
Telomeres and Telomerase
Telomeres and Telomerase
Mechanisms of Retrovirus-induced Cancers
Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
Somatic...
Loss of Tumor Suppressor Gene Functions
When the tumor suppressor genes develop mutations or are lost, cells start growing out of control, leading to cancer. However, a single functional copy of the tumor suppressor gene is enough for the cells to maintain their normal functions and cell...

