Telomerase Activity and Telomere Length in Human Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Stem-like Cells and Their Progeny Implies the Existence of Distinct Basal and Luminal Cell Lineages

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) treatments have changed little over many years and do not directly address the underlying cause. Because BPH is characterised by uncontrolled cell growth, the chromosomal telomeres should be eroded in the reported absence or low levels of telomerase activity, but this is not observed.

We investigated the telomere biology of cell subpopulations from BPH patients undergoing transurethral resection of prostate (TURP). Measurement of TERC, TERT, and telomerase activity revealed that only the epithelial stem-like and progenitor fractions expressed high levels of telomerase activity (p

We unexpectedly found an enzyme called telomerase in the cells that maintain benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), suggesting that telomerase inhibitors could be used to alleviate BPH symptoms.

European urology. 2015 Oct 08 [Epub ahead of print]

Jayant K Rane, Sarah Greener, Fiona M Frame, Vincent M Mann, Matthew S Simms, Anne T Collins, Daniel M Berney, Norman J Maitland

YCR Cancer Research Unit, Department of Biology, University of York, York, North Yorkshire, UK. , YCR Cancer Research Unit, Department of Biology, University of York, York, North Yorkshire, UK. , YCR Cancer Research Unit, Department of Biology, University of York, York, North Yorkshire, UK. , Hull York Medical School, University of Hull, Hull, East Yorkshire, UK; Department of Urology, Castle Hill Hospital, Cottingham, East Yorkshire, UK. , Hull York Medical School, University of Hull, Hull, East Yorkshire, UK; Department of Urology, Castle Hill Hospital, Cottingham, East Yorkshire, UK. , YCR Cancer Research Unit, Department of Biology, University of York, York, North Yorkshire, UK. , Centre for Molecular Oncology and Imaging, Barts and London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK. , YCR Cancer Research Unit, Department of Biology, University of York, York, North Yorkshire, UK; Hull York Medical School, University of Hull, Hull, East Yorkshire, UK. 

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