Ectopic Human Telomerase Catalytic Subunit Expression Maintains Telomere Length But Is Not Sufficient for CD8+ T Lymphocyte Immortalization

Abstract excerpt

Like most somatic human cells, T lymphocytes have a limited replicative life span. This phenomenon, called senescence, presents a serious barrier to clinical applications that require large numbers of Ag-specific T cells such as adoptive transfer therapy. Ectopic expression of hTERT, the human catalytic subunit of the enzyme telomerase, permits fibroblasts and endothelial cells to avoid senescence and to become...