Androgens stimulate TERT gene expression. (A) Exposure of lymphocyte to androgen (R1881) was associated with higher TERT mRNA levels by RT-PCR (GADPH was used and loading control; results from one representative experiment). (B) To confirm these results, TERT expression was evaluated by real-time PCR in 2 separate experiments (n = 3): in lymphocytes, R1881 up-regulated TERT mRNA expression, an effect that was inhibited by tamoxifen (Tam). (C) Estradiol activates telomerase enzymatic activity in cultured lymphocytes (E2; n = 3, in 2 different experiments). (D) In a single separate experiment, lymphocytes were also cultured with hydrocortisone (n = 2). (E) In the same experiment, hydrocortisone (HY) inhibited cell cycle and at higher doses (10 μM) induced cell death by apoptosis (*P < .05; ***P < .001).