Telomerase activity and cell apoptosis in colon cancer cell by human telomerase reverse transcriptase gene antisense oligodeoxynucleotide

AIM:To evaluate the effect of human telomerase reversetranscriptase(hTERT)gene antisense oligodeoxynucleotide(As-ODN)on telomerase activity and cell apoptosis in coloncancer cell line SW480.METHODS:As-ODN was transfected into cells SW480 byliposomal transfection.Cultured cells were divided into threegroups:ASODN(5’GGAGCGCGCGGCATCGCGGG-3’),senseoligodeoxynucleotide(5’-CCCGCGATGCCGCGCGCTCC-3’,S-ODN)and control.The concentration of oligodeoxynucleotideand lipsome was 10 μmol/L and 16 mg/L,respectively.Theactivity of telomerase was examined by telomeric repeatamplification protocol(TRAP)-enzyme-linked immunosorbentassay(ELISA),and cell apoptosis was observed by morphologyand flow cytometry in each group.RESULTS:Telomerase activity began to be down-regulatedor inhibited when cells SW480 were treated with As-ODNfor 72 h,and cell apoptosis was induced.CONCLUSION:It is suggested that hTERT As-ODN mightspecially inhibit the activity of telomerase in colon cancercells and it is further proved that the hTERT gene has asignificant correlation with telomerase activity.Furtherevidence is needed to prove whether hTERT As-ODN is apotential tool for the treatment of colon cancer.