Stem and Cancer Cells Wnt Long Telomeres

The document reports that the Wnt-ß-catenin pathway, which is involved in regulating pluripotency in stem cells and is often dysregulated in cancers, directly promotes the expression of telomerase (TERT) in both stem and cancer cells. The study by Kemler and colleagues, published in Science, found that ß-catenin activity is directly correlated with Tert expression in mouse embryonic stem cells and that ß-catenin binds to the Tert promoter, enhancing its interaction with chromatin remodeling factors and active RNA polymerase II. This mechanism was also observed in adult intestinal stem cells, primary neurospheres, and in a mouse model of ß-catenin-driven intestinal hyperplasia, as well as in human embryonal carcinoma and colorectal carcinoma cell lines. Depletion of ß-catenin resulted in decreased hTERT levels, suggesting a crucial role of ß-catenin in maintaining long telomeres in these cells. This finding provides a mechanistic link between tumorigenesis and pluripotency.