The human and canine TERT promoters function equivalently in human and canine cells

Abstract

Telomerase targeted cancer gene therapy is being exploited for treatment of human cancer. The high incidence and many comparative aspects of human and canine cancer and the compliance and dedication of dog owners to treat cancer makes the canine pet population a good clinical model for investigating and developing new cancer therapeutics. Here, we report that the human telomerase promoter operates in canine cells, suggesting that human telomerase promoter-driven cancer therapy can be used to treat cancer in canines. Therefore, the canine pet population can act as a clinical model for new drug development based on telomerase therapeutics.

Functional comparison of the human epidermal growth factor receptor and telomerase reverse transcriptase promoters in canine tumor cells

“…3). Although we did not determined whether the hTERT promoter could induce the expression of downstream genes as efficiently as the canine TERT promoter could, Arendt et al showed that the hTERT and canine TERT promoters transcribed genes at similar levels in canine cells [1]. Taken together, our results indicated that these promoters were active and elicited efficient gene expression in CBT and CUC cells; moreover, as a tumor-specific promoter, the hEGFR promoter is more useful than the hTERT promoter.…”