The Effect of Resveratrol on the Werner Syndrome RecQ Helicase Gene and Telomerase Activity

Fumiaki      Uchiumi; Takeshi      Watanabe; Shin      Hasegawa; Taisuke      Hoshi; Yoshikazu      Higami; Sei-ichi      Tanuma

Abstract

Various protein factors, including telomerase and WRN helicase, are involved in telomere maintenance. Resveratrol (Rsv), a polyphenol that extends the lifespan of diverse species is an activator of SIRT1, a NAD+ dependent deacetylating enzyme in mammalian cells. Here, we examined the changes in gene expressions and promoter activities of WRN helicase and telomerase after Rsv treatment. This treatment increased the amount of WRN transcript and protein product by activating its promoter and telomerase promoter activity and gene expression. However cell proliferation was not changed. This suggests that Rsv induces telomere maintenance factors like WRN helicase without affecting cell proliferation.

Keywords: BLM, Resveratrol, Telomerase, Sp1, TERT, WRN, Werner Syndrome, deacetylating enzyme, cell proliferation, eukaryotic chromosomes, fibroblasts, Reactive oxygen species (ROS), mitochondrial respiration, caloric restriction (CR), superoxide dismutases (SODs), Human cervical carcinoma (HeLa S3), Dulbecco's modified Eagle's (DME) medium, MTS assay, Luciferase, plasmids, DEAE-dextran method, Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (RTPCR), acrylamide gels, ethidium bromide, Real time PCR analysis, GAPDH, plasmid-transfected cells, anti-actin, anti-Sp1 antibodies, DNA-damage responses, DNA-repair synthesis, insulin signaling, epigenetic, sirtuin (SIRT1)-mediated deacetylation