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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2014 Jan 21.
Published in final edited form as: Trends Genet. 2013 Jul 19;29(9):513–520. doi: 10.1016/j.tig.2013.06.007

Table 1. Outcomes of enforced expression of telomerase in mice.

Ref Model / Telomerase activation Cancer Aging Comments
25

  • C57Bl/6

  • Germline

  • K5-mTERT

 Stratified epithelia histologically normal More tumors after DMBA+TPA treatment. Skin more sensitive to esters. Increased wound-healing High levels of telomerase activity in stratified epithelia do not alter the normal epithelium structure and are not associated with changes in p53, Ras or c-Myc levels.
129

  • FVB/n strain

  • Germline

  • CAG promoter

 Higher incidence of breast carcinoma in all but 1 female of founder A. No differences in males. n.d. No susceptibility to spontaneous or DMBA-induced papillomas in mTERT Tg mice. Enforced mTERT expression did not alter the high rate of spontaneous tumor formation in Ink4a/Arf-deficient mice.
130

  • C57Bl/6

  • Germline

  • K5-mTERT and K5-mTERT/p53−/−

 Higher tumor incidence (spontaneous pre- neoplastic and neoplastic lesions in stratified and non- stratified epithelia) Lower lifespan in both k5-mTERT or k5-mTERT/p53−/− Loss of p53 results in a dramatic decrease in the life span of these mice, concomitantly with an increased incidence of tumors, in particular lymphomas.
131

  • C57Bl/6

  • Germline

  • Lck-TERT mice

 Higher incidence of spontaneous lymphoma. n.d. Lck-Tert thymocytes show greater spontaneous and IR-induced chromosomal instability.
84

  • C57Bl/6

  • Germline

  • K5-mTERT

 More hyperproliferative lesions Increased maximal lifespan
Decreased degenerative lesions (kidney, male germ line)
132

  • FVB/n strain

  • CMV enhancer/β-actin promoter

 n.d. Enhancing of hair growth through stem cell mobilization (independently of the TERC component)
14

  • C57Bl/6

  • Germline

  • K5-mTERT/Sp53 and K5-mTERT/Sp53/SArf/Sp16

 Higher tumor incidence (mainly lymphomas) and similar lifespan (K5-mTERT/Sp53 vs K5-mTERT) Lower tumor incidence and higher lifespan and health-span in K5-mTERT/Sp53/SArf/Sp16 vs K5-mTERT/Sp53 or WT controls
89

  • G4TERT-ER mice (30–35 week old C57Bl/6)

  • 4-OHT activation late in life

 Telomerase activation was not sufficient to promote tumorigenesis. Extended life and health span Chromosomal instability was referred.
120

  • C57Bl/6 (1yr and 2 yrs old)

  • TA-65

 No increase in tumor incidence Extended health. No differences in lifespan Activation of telomerase is not direct
Other studies have described similar telomerase activators in mice and humans (see references: 127, 133)
82

  • G4 TERT−/− (WW6/C57BL/6)

  • Ad-mTERT (specifically to the liver)

 n.d. Ad-mTERT injection partial rescue PGC-1α/β, Glc-6-P and Pepck expression, accompanied by a 30% increase in glucose levels relative to Ad-GFP controls, in G4-TERT−/− mice
134

  • C57Bl/6 (18 to 22 g., males and females)

  • Ad-mTERT-GFP (microinjection into the bilateral Dg of mice)

 n.d. Ad-mTERT-GFP led to neurogenesis upregulation, produced antidepressant-like behaviors, and prevented the CMS-induced behavioral modifications
128

  • CD1 (9–11 weeks old)

  • AGS-499

 n.d. Extended health (neuroprotective effects in NMDA-injected CD-1 mice) No mechanism of telomerase activation
15

  • C57Bl/6 (1yr and 2 yrs old)

  • AAV9-mTERT

 No increased tumor incidence Extended life and health span