title: Telomerase activity is not a key determinant of sensitivity to standard cytotoxic drugs in human esophageal carcinoma cell lines.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to investigate if basal telomerase activity levels may predict sensitivity to cytotoxic drugs in a panel of human esophageal carcinoma cell lines. The TRAPeze telomerase detection assay was used to investigate telomerase activity in the cell lines. Cytotoxic drug sensitivity for 20 standard cytotoxic agents was assessed using the fluorometric microculture cytotoxicity assay (FMCA). Telomerase activity was detected in all cell lines with a broad range of activity levels. Drug sensitivity also varied considerably between the cell lines. Except for a P value towards a correlation between mitoxantrone and telomerase activity (P=0.054), no statistically significant correlation was found between telomerase activity levels and sensitivity to investigated drugs, including key drugs such as cisplatin (P=0.9), 5-fluorouracil (P=0.8) and doxorubicin (P=0.54). We therefore conclude that basal telomerase activity level is not a key determinant of sensitivity to standard cytotoxic drugs in esophageal carcinoma cell lines.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Radiology and Clinical Immunology, Section of Oncology, Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dreilich
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lindkvist
authors.forename: Sumeer
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dhar
authors.forename: Ylva
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Paulsson-Karlsson
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Brattström
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nygren
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rickardson
authors.forename: Gunnar
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wagenius
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bergqvist
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D003603:Cytotoxins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000201:enzymology; D006801:Humans; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D019098:Telomerase / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D003603:Cytotoxins; D019098:Telomerase