[Study on the inhibition of nude mice transplantation tumor growth by telomerase ribozyme].
OBJECTIVE
To explore whether telomerase ribozyme could inhibit the growth of nude mice transplantation tumor.


METHODS
A xenograft human-nude mouse model was constructed. A total of 24 mice were divided into 4 groups, namely, the saline control(Group 1), the blank plasmid control(Group 2), the 20 microg/mouse/day p(XJ-neo-teloRZ)(Group 3) and the 30 microg/mouse/day p(XJ-neo-teloRZ)(Group 4). All plasmids were packaged by lipofectamine and used for subcutaneous, continuous infusions over 14 days. Tumor measurements and observations of animal behavior were recorded daily. On completion of the study, the mice were killed by cervical dislocation and their organs were removed, weighed, and stored in formaldehyde for histological examination. The telomerase activities of tumor tissues of each group were also detected.


RESULTS
The telomerase ribozyme effectively inhibited the telomerase activities of tumor tissues and promoted the apoptosis of tumor cells. The in vivo studies showed a significant decrease in tumor size in mice treated with p(XJ-neo-teloRZ) when compared to the mice treated with controls. Furthermore, the in vivo effect of p(XJ-neo-teloRZ) was dose dependent.


CONCLUSIONS
Telomerase ribozyme is a powerful telomerase inhibition agent; probably it could be effective in tumor gene therapy.
Qu
Y
Y
Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, West China University of Medical Sciences, Chengdu 610041 P.R.China. quyi@mail.sc.cninfo.net
Liu
S
S
Zhang
C
C
Bai
S
S
Ouyang
X
X
Liu
B
B
D000818:Animals; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008819:Mice, Nude; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D016337:RNA, Catalytic / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019098:Telomerase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous
D016337:RNA, Catalytic; D019098:Telomerase