Telomerase as a possible target for anticancer therapy.
Telomeres, the termini of chromosomes, provide essential stability to linear eukaryotic chromosomes. The enzyme telomerase is one mechanism that maintains telomeres, and is activated in 85% of human cancer cells. New studies on peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) that inhibit telomerase have demonstrated that unexpected regions of the enzyme can serve as targets for inhibitors. The novel delivery method used expands the utility of PNAs.
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Bloomfield Center for Research in Aging, Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montréal, Canada. mcfj@musica.mcgill.ca
D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects; D015195:Drug Design; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D009841:Oligonucleotides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D019098:Telomerase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000235:genetics*; D016615:Telomere / Q000235:genetics
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D009841:Oligonucleotides; D004247:DNA; D019098:Telomerase