Assessment of telomerase as drug target in breast cancer

J Biosci. 2020:45:72.

Abstract

Telomerase is a specialized enzyme which maintains telomere length at the extreme end of the chromosome. Over 90% of all cases of cancer show high expression of telomerase while in normal cells, its expression is extremely low or undetectable. Detection of telomerase activity in a wide range of breast cancer makes telomerase an interesting target for diagnosis and therapy. In this review, we have aimed to describe telomerase as a therapeutic and accurate diagnostic target in breast cancer. Telomerase performs many extracurricular activities apart from maintaining telomere length; here, we have also tried to address its role in epithelialmesenchymal transition (EMT) of breast cancer progression.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Breast Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Drug Delivery Systems*
  • Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition / physiology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Telomerase / antagonists & inhibitors*

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Telomerase