Telomere length is regulated by FGF-2 in human embryonic stem cells and affects the life span of its differentiated progenies

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• 作者：Yu Zou ; Huei Jinn Tong ; Mingming Li ; Kai Soo Tan ; Tong Cao
• 关键词：hESC ; Telomere ; Telomerase ; Cellular senescence ; Wnt
• 刊名：Biogerontology
• 出版年：2017
• 出版时间：February 2017
• 年：2017
• 卷：18
• 期：1
• 页码：69-84
• 全文大小：
• 刊物类别：Biomedical and Life Sciences
• 刊物主题：Cell Biology; Geriatrics/Gerontology; Developmental Biology;
• 出版者：Springer Netherlands
• ISSN：1573-6768
• 卷排序：18

文摘

The ability of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) to proliferate indefinitely is attributed to its high telomerase activity and associated long telomere. However, factors regulating telomere length in hESCs remain largely uncharacterized. The aims of this study were, to identify factors which modulate telomere length of hESCs, and to determine if the telomere length of hESCs influences cellular senescence of its differentiated progeny cells. Telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) gene expression, telomerase activity and telomere length of hESCs cultured in different culture systems were compared. Genetically identical hESCs of different telomere lengths were differentiated into fibroblasts simultaneously, and the population doubling and cellular senescence levels were determined. We found that telomere lengths were significantly different in different culture systems and Fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) upregulated TERT expression, telomerase activity and telomere length via Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in hESCs in a significant manner. We also provide evidence that fibroblast differentiated from hESCs with longer telomere exhibited significant more population doublings and longer life span than those derived from hESCs with shorter telomeres. Thus, FGF-2 levels in hESCs culture systems can be manipulated to generate cells with longer telomere which would be advantageous in the applications of hESCs in regenerative medicine.