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A Novel Long Non-Coding RNA in the hTERT Promoter Region Regulates hTERT Expression.
Sanandan Malhotra1, Mallory A Freeberg2, Shelby J Winans3
1Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA. smalhot7@jhu.edu.
Non-Coding RNA
|April 17, 2018
Summary
A novel non-coding RNA, hTERT antisense promoter-associated (hTAPAS) RNA, negatively regulates human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) expression. hTAPAS may play a role in telomere length homeostasis and cancer.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
- Cancer Research
Background:
- The human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) gene is crucial for cell immortalization and is often dysregulated in cancer.
- Understanding the regulatory mechanisms of hTERT is vital for developing targeted cancer therapies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and characterize novel regulatory elements within the hTERT promoter region.
- To investigate the function of a newly discovered antisense transcript in hTERT gene regulation.
Main Methods:
- Identification and characterization of the hTERT antisense promoter-associated (hTAPAS) RNA.
- Analysis of hTAPAS and hTERT expression in various cell types and cancer samples.
- Functional studies using antisense-oligonucleotide mediated knockdown and ectopic overexpression of hTAPAS.
Main Results:
- A novel 1.6 kb non-coding RNA, hTAPAS, was identified in the hTERT promoter region, indicating bidirectional transcription.
- hTAPAS expression inversely correlates with hTERT expression in cancer and is not affected by the common -124 C>T hTERT promoter mutation.
- Knockdown of hTAPAS increases hTERT expression, while its overexpression downregulates hTERT, demonstrating a negative regulatory role.
Conclusions:
- hTAPAS is a novel antisense RNA that negatively regulates hTERT expression.
- hTAPAS may contribute to telomere length homeostasis and its dysregulation could be involved in cancer development.
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