Human bone marrow stromal cells (hMSCs) were stably transduced by a retroviral vector containing the gene for the catalytic subunit of human telomerase (hTERT). Transduced cells (hMSC-TERTs) had telomerase activity, and the mean telomere length was increased as compared with that of control cells. The transduced cells have now undergone more than 260 population doublings (PD) and continue to proliferate, whereas control cells underwent senescence-associated proliferation arrest after 26 PD. The cells maintained production of osteoblastic markers and differentiation potential during continuous subculturing, did not form tumors, and had a normal karyotype. When implanted subcutaneously in immunodeficient mice, the transduced cells formed more bone than did normal cells. These results suggest that ectopic expression of telomerase in hMSCs prevents senescence-associated impairment of osteoblast functions.

The neoplastic process may involve a cancer stem cell. This concept has emerged largely from the careful analysis of tumour biopsy systems from haematological, breast and brain tumours. However, the experimental systems necessary to provide the cellular and molecular evidence to support this important concept have been lacking. We have used adult mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC) transduced with the telomerase hTERT gene to investigate the neoplastic potential of adult stem cells. The hTERT-transduced line, hMSC-TERT20 at population doubling level (PDL) 256 showed loss of contact inhibition, anchorage independence and formed tumours in 10/10 mice. hMSC-TERT4 showed loss of contact inhibition at PDL 95, but did not exhibit anchorage independence and did not form tumours in mice. Both lines had a normal karyotype but showed deletion of the Ink4a/ ARF locus. At later passage, hMSC-TERT4 also acquired an activating mutation in KRAS. In hMSC-TERT20, expression of the cell cycle-associated gene, DBCCR1 was lost due to promoter hypermethylation. This epigenetic event correlated with acquisition of tumorigenicity. These data suggest that the adult hMSCs can be targets for neoplastic transformation and have implications for the development of novel anticancer therapeutics and for the use of hMSC in tissue engineering and transplantation protocols.

Ocean Sampling Day was initiated by the EU-funded Micro B3 (Marine Microbial Biodiversity, Bioinformatics, Biotechnology) project to obtain a snapshot of the marine microbial biodiversity and function of the world’s oceans. It is a simultaneous global mega-sequencing campaign aiming to generate the largest standardized microbial data set in a single day. This will be achievable only through the coordinated efforts of an Ocean Sampling Day Consortium, supportive partnerships and networks between sites. This commentary outlines the establishment, function and aims of the Consortium and describes our vision for a sustainable study of marine microbial communities and their embedded functional traits.

Telomere length is maintained by 2 known mechanisms, activation of telomerase or alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT). The molecular mechanisms regulating the ALT phenotype are poorly understood and it is unknown how the decision of which pathway to activate is made at the cellular level. We have shown previously that active repression of telomerase gene expression by chromatin remodelling of the promoters is one mechanism of regulation, however other genes and signalling networks are likely to be required to regulate telomerase and maintain the ALT phenotype. Using gene expression profiling we have uncovered a signature of 1305 genes to distinguish telomerase positive and ALT cell lines. By combining this with gene expression profiles of liposarcoma tissue samples we refined this signature to 297 genes. Network analysis of known interactions between genes within this signature revealed a regulatory signalling network consistent with a model of hTERT repression in ALT cell lines and liposarcomas. This network expands on our existing knowledge of hTERT regulation and provides a platform to understand differential regulation of hTERT in different tumour types and normal tissues. We also show evidence to suggest a novel mesenchymal stem cell origin for ALT immortalisation in cell lines and mesenchymal tissues.

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COVID-19 caused by the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak quickly has turned into a pandemic. However, no specific antiviral agent is yet available. In this communication, we aimed to evaluate the significance of CD147 protein and the potential protective effect of melatonin that is mediated by this protein in COVID-19. CD147 is a glycoprotein that is responsible for the cytokine storm in the lungs through the mediation of viral invasion. Melatonin use previously was shown to reduce cardiac damage by blocking the CD147 activity. Hence, melatonin, a safe drug, may prevent severe symptoms, reduce symptom severity and the adverse effects of the other antiviral drugs in COVID-19 patients. In conclusion, the use of melatonin, which is reduced in the elderly and immune-compromised patients, should be considered as an adjuvant through its CD147 suppressor and immunomodulatory effect.

The human adult mesenchymal stem cell (hMSC) does not express telomerase and has been shown to be the target for neoplastic transformation after transduction with hTERT. These findings lend support to the stem cell hypothesis of cancer development but by supplying hTERT, the molecular events required to upregulate hTERT expression in cancer development are missed. Therefore, the hMSC is ideal for the identification of molecular mechanisms regulating telomerase gene expression in stem cells. This study shows that the repression of hTERT expression in hMSC is chromatin based and that modifications of the chromatin environment lead to reactivation of telomerase gene expression. It is shown that repression of hTERT expression in hMSCs is due to promoter-specific histone hypoacetylation coupled with low Pol II and TFIIB trafficking. This repression is overcome by treatment with Trichostatin A (TSA), an HDAC inhibitor, concomitant with increases in promoter-specific histone acetylation and increases in Pol II and TFIIB tracking. hTR expression is also increased in TSA-treated hMSCs, concomitant with changes in Pol II and TFIIB dynamics.

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