title: Inhibition of proliferation and induction of apoptosis in human renal carcinoma cells by anti-telomerase small interfering RNAs.
abstract: Telomerase is an attractive molecular target for cancer therapy because it is present in most malignant cells but is undetectable in most normal somatic cells. Human telomerase consists of two subunits, an RNA component (hTR) and a human telomerase reverse transcriptase component (hTERT). Small interfering RNA (siRNA), one kind of RNA interferences, has been demonstrated to be an effective method to inhibit target gene expression in human cells. We investigated the effects of siRNA targeting at both hTR and hTERT mRNA on the inhibition of telomerase activity in human renal carcinoma cells (HRCCs). The proliferation and apoptosis of HRCCs were examined. The treatment of HRCCs using hTR and hTERT siRNAs resulted in significant decrease of hTR mRNA, hTERT mRNA and hTERT protein. The siRNA can also inhibit the telomerase activity and the proliferation of HRCCs. Moreover, they can induce apoptotic cell death in a dose-dependent manner. From these findings, we propose that the inhibition of telomerase activity using siRNA targeting hTR and hTERT might be a rational approach in renal cancer therapy.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Urology, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical College, Xuzhou 221002, China. jnzheng@xzmc.edu.cn
authors.forename: Jun-Nian
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Ya-Feng
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Dong-Sheng
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Pei
authors.forename: Jun-Jie
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jia-Cun
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Wang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xiao-Qing
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Qi-Duo
authors.initials: QD
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Rui-Fa
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Teng-Xiang
authors.initials: TX
authors.lastname: Ma
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D012313:RNA / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D034622:RNA Interference; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000235:genetics*; D019098:Telomerase / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; C422952:telomerase RNA; D012313:RNA; D019098:Telomerase