Amadori-glycated phosphatidylethanolamine up-regulates telomerase activity in PANC-1 human pancreatic carcinoma cells

Several lines of experimental data have highlighted a key role of Amadori-glycated phosphatidylethanolamine (Amadori-PE) in the development of diabetic complications. Recent epidemiological studies suggest that diabetes mellitus could be a risk factor for some cancers. A characteristic of cancer cells is their immortal phenotype, and the enzyme telomerase contributes to the infinite replicative potential of cancer cells. The purpose of this study was to obtain new information about the effect of Amadori-PE on the regulation of telomerase in PANC-1 human pancreatic carcinoma cells. Amadori-PE enhanced cellular telomerase in a time- and dose-dependent manner by up-regulating hTERT expression through induction of c-myc. These results provide experimental evidence for a novel role of Amadori-PE in linking diabetes and cancer.