title: Antisense telomerase induced cell growth inhibition, cell cycle arrest and telomerase activity down-regulation in gastric and colon cancer cells.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Antisense telomerase RNA (anti-hTR) coupled with 2',5'-linked tetraadenylate (2-5A) shows an inhibitory effect on cell growth and induces apoptosis in certain kinds of cancer. This experiment examined the anti-hTR effect on gastric and colorectal cancer cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  Gastric cancer cells CRL-5822, CRL-5971 and colorectal cancer cells HTB-38, CCL-247 were treated with repeated doses of anti-hTR. Cell growth and cell cycle parameters were analysed. Telomerase activity was measured by TRAP assay. Control oligonucleotides and normal fibroblast were used as control.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After two doses of anti-hTR, the cell viability for CRL-5822, CRL-5971, HTB-38 and CCL-247 cells was reduced to 15%, 12%, 37% and 37%, respectively. The DNA histogram showed cells arrested at the G2/M-phase and the sub-G1 peak found indicated that apoptosis had occurred.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Anti-hTR demonstrated inhibition of cell growth and cell cycle arrest on gastric and colorectal cancer cells through a telomerase regulation pathway. Its specificity towards cancerous tissues but not normal tissues suggested a potential for anti-cancer therapy.
authors.affiliation: National University Medical Institute, Faculty of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: Stephen C H
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Hanry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Shabbir M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Moochhala
authors.forename: Jimmy B Y
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: So
mesh_terms: D000227:Adenine Nucleotides / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000235:genetics; D002455:Cell Division / Q000235:genetics; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D015536:Down-Regulation; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D009843:Oligoribonucleotides / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D016372:RNA, Antisense / Q000235:genetics* / Q000494:pharmacology; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D019098:Telomerase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D000227:Adenine Nucleotides; D009843:Oligoribonucleotides; D016372:RNA, Antisense; C023505:2',5'-oligoadenylate; D019098:Telomerase