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Pauleck S, Sinnott JA, Zheng YL, Gadalla SM, Viskochil R, Haaland B, Cawthon RM, Hoffmeister A, Hardikar S. Association of Telomere Length with Colorectal Cancer Risk and Prognosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:1159. [PMID: 36831502 PMCID: PMC9954736 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15041159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 02/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: Colorectal cancer risk and survival have previously been associated with telomere length in peripheral blood leukocytes and tumor tissue. A systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature was conducted. The PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases were searched through March 2022. (2) Methods: Relevant studies were identified through database searching following PRISMA guidelines. Risk estimates were extracted from identified studies; meta-analyses were conducted using random effects models. (3) Results: Fourteen studies were identified (eight on risk; six on survival) through systematic review. While no association was observed between circulating leukocyte telomere length and the risk of colorectal cancer [overall OR (95% CI) = 1.01 (0.82-1.24)], a worse survival for those with shorter telomeres in leukocytes and longer telomeres in tumor tissues was observed [Quartile1/Quartile2-4 overall HR (95% CI) = 1.41 (0.26-7.59) and 0.82 (0.69-0.98), respectively]. (4) Conclusions: Although there was no association with colorectal cancer risk, a poorer survival was observed among those with shorter leukocyte telomere length. Future larger studies evaluating a potentially non-linear relationship between telomeres and colorectal cancer are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Svenja Pauleck
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
- Medical Department II, Division of Gastroenterology, University of Leipzig Medical Center, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Jennifer A. Sinnott
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, USA
- Department of Statistics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Yun-Ling Zheng
- Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20057, USA
| | - Shahinaz M. Gadalla
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Richard Viskochil
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
- Department of Population Health Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, USA
| | - Benjamin Haaland
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
- Department of Population Health Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, USA
| | - Richard M. Cawthon
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, USA
| | - Albrecht Hoffmeister
- Medical Department II, Division of Gastroenterology, University of Leipzig Medical Center, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Sheetal Hardikar
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
- Department of Population Health Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, USA
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
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Mishra R, Haldar S, Biondi S, Bhari VK, Singh G, Bhowmick NA. TGF-β controls stromal telomere length through epigenetic modifications. 3 Biotech 2022; 12:290. [PMID: 36276465 PMCID: PMC9512944 DOI: 10.1007/s13205-022-03346-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Telomere length is primarily controlled by the enzyme telomerase, but being chromatin structures, telomeres undergo epigenetic regulation for their maintenance and function. Altered telomere length among cancer cells combined with shorter telomere length in cancer-associated stromal cells, strongly implicated with progression to prostate cancer metastasis and cancer death and providing a novel target for therapeutics. Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling pathways are well-recognized for their role in stromal-epithelial interactions responsible for prostate androgen responsiveness, promoting tumorigenesis. However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. We sought to establish a role for TGF-β in the regulation of telomere length in mouse and human prostate fibroblast. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based telomere length measuring methods are widely used due to their repeatability and reproducibility. Using real-time RT-PCR-based telomere length measuring method, we identified that TGF-beta regulates telomere length via increased expression of histone methyltransferase, Suv39h1, which in turn affected histone methylation levels at the telomeric ends. Moreover, treatment of DAPT and non-steroidal antiandrogen bicalutamide demonstrated that notch and androgen signaling co-operated with TGF-ß in regulating stromal telomere length. Telomere variation in tumor cells and non-tumor cells within the tumor microenvironment greatly facilitates the clinical assessment of prostate cancer; therefore, understanding stromal telomere length regulation mechanism will hold significant prospects for cancer treatment, diagnosis, and prognosis. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13205-022-03346-5.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajeev Mishra
- Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University, Kalyanpur, Kanpur, UP 208024 India
- Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048 USA
| | - Subhash Haldar
- Department of Food and Nutrition, University of Gour Banga, Mokdumpur, West Bengal 732101 India
| | - Shea Biondi
- Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048 USA
| | - Vikash Kumar Bhari
- Department of Biosciences, Manipal University Jaipur, Jaipur, Rajasthan 303007 India
| | - Gyanendra Singh
- Toxicology Department, ICMR-National Institute of Occupational Health, Ahmedabad, 380016 India
| | - Neil A Bhowmick
- Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048 USA
- Department of Research, Greater Los Angeles Veterans Administration, Los Angeles, CA 90073 USA
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Pauleck S, Gigic B, Cawthon RM, Ose J, Peoples AR, Warby CA, Sinnott JA, Lin T, Boehm J, Schrotz-King P, Li CI, Shibata D, Siegel EM, Figueiredo JC, Toriola AT, Schneider M, Ulrich AB, Hoffmeister A, Ulrich CM, Hardikar S. Association of circulating leukocyte telomere length with survival in patients with colorectal cancer. J Geriatr Oncol 2022; 13:480-485. [PMID: 34998722 PMCID: PMC9197691 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgo.2021.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Revised: 10/31/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Telomere shortening, as seen with aging, can cause chromosomal instability and promote cancer progression. We investigated the association between circulating telomere length and overall and disease-free survival in a sub-cohort of patients with colorectal cancer. METHODS Baseline genomic DNA from blood leukocytes was extracted from N = 92 newly diagnosed stage I-IV patients with colorectal cancer enrolled at the ColoCare Study site in Heidelberg, Germany. Detailed information on clinicodemographic (including age) and lifestyle risk factors, and clinical outcomes (including recurrence and survival) was collected. Telomere length was measured in DNA using multiplex quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Kaplan Meier survival curves were generated comparing shorter to longer telomere lengths with log-rank testing. RESULTS The mean T/S ratio for study patients was 0.5 (range: 0.3-0.9). Shorter telomeres were associated with older age at baseline. Patients with shorter telomeres experienced a worse overall and disease-free survival, although this association did not reach statistical significance. Kaplan-Meier survival curves for those with circulating telomere length below vs. above the median showed poorer overall (log-rank p = 0.31) and disease-free survival (long-rank p = 0.23). CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that individuals with shorter telomeres, as seen with aging, may experience a worse overall and disease-free survival after colorectal cancer diagnosis. Larger sample sizes with longer follow-up are needed to further evaluate telomere length as a prognostic biomarker in colorectal cancer progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Svenja Pauleck
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA; University of Leipzig Medical Center, Medical Faculty, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Biljana Gigic
- Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany; National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Richard M Cawthon
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Jennifer Ose
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Department of Population Health Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Anita R Peoples
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Department of Population Health Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Christy A Warby
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Department of Population Health Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Jennifer A Sinnott
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Department of Population Health Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Department of Statistics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Tengda Lin
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Department of Population Health Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Juergen Boehm
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Petra Schrotz-King
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - David Shibata
- University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Erin M Siegel
- H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | | | - Adetunji T Toriola
- Department of Surgery, Division of Public Health Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Martin Schneider
- Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany; National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Alexis B Ulrich
- Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany; National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Albrecht Hoffmeister
- Medical Department II, Division of Gastroenterology, University of Leipzig Medical Center, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Cornelia M Ulrich
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Department of Population Health Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Sheetal Hardikar
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Department of Population Health Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA.
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Teixeira MZ. Telomere and Telomerase: Biological Markers of Organic Vital Force State and Homeopathic Treatment Effectiveness. HOMEOPATHY 2021; 110:283-291. [PMID: 34000743 PMCID: PMC8575553 DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1726008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Philosophical-scientific correlations described in previous studies suggest that the genome can be the biological representation of the vital force, whilst the disease-promoting epigenetic alterations would be the biological representation of the chronic miasmas. In this study, we expand the functional correlation between vital force and chromosomes, describing the mechanism of action of the telomere-telomerase complex in the context of physiological balance. AIMS The aim of the work is to study the role of the telomere-telomerase complex in cell vitality, biological aging, and the health-disease process, with the goal of proposing the use of telomere length as a biomarker of the vital force state and the effectiveness of homeopathic treatment. RESULTS Similar to the vital force, telomere length and telomerase enzyme activity play an important role in maintaining cellular vitality, biological longevity, and physiological homeostasis. Telomere shortening functions as a biomarker of vital imbalance and is associated with numerous diseases and health disorders. On the other hand, health-promotion practices neutralize the pathological shortening of the telomeres, acting therapeutically in diseases or age-dependent health disorders. CONCLUSIONS As a hypothetical biomarker of the vital force state, an intra-individual analysis of the mean leukocyte telomere length before, during, and after homeopathic treatment can be used as a biomarker of therapeutic effectiveness.
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