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Human lymphocyte telomerase is genetically regulated
Author(s) -
Kosciolek Barbara A.,
Rowley Peter T.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
genes, chromosomes and cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.754
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1098-2264
pISSN - 1045-2257
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1098-2264(199802)21:2<124::aid-gcc8>3.0.co;2-2
Subject(s) - telomerase , lymphocyte , dizygotic twins , biology , telomere , heritability , peripheral blood , genetics , immunology , dna , microbiology and biotechnology , gene , medicine , obstetrics
Abstract Research on both cancer and aging has focused attention on the regulation of telomerase, the enzyme that synthesizes the ends of chromosomal DNA. To analyze the relative importance of genetic vs. environmental factors in determining telomerase inducibility, we have compared telomerase activity in phytohemagglutinin‐stimulated peripheral blood lymphocytes from monozygotic and dizygotic twin pairs. The heritability calculated was 0.814, indicating that lymphocyte inducible telomerase activity is determined principally by genetic rather than by environmental factors. Genes Chromosomes Cancer 21:124–130, 1998. © 1998 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.