title: Apoptosis and reduced cell proliferation of HL-60 cell line caused by human telomerase reverse transcriptase inhibition by siRNA.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The close correlation between telomerase activity and human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) expression has made hTERT to be considered as a selective molecular target for human cancer therapy. In this study, the ability of short-interfering RNA (siRNA) to downregulate hTERT expression and its correlation with cell growth and apoptosis in the promyelocytic cell line HL-60 was evaluated.
  
  
  METHODS
  hTERT siRNA was designed and transfected to HL-60. hTERT mRNA expression, cell proliferation and apoptotic cells were measured.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results indicated that hTERT siRNA resulted in 97.2 ± 0.6% downregulation of the hTERT mRNA content; inhibition of the cell proliferation rate was about 52.8 ± 2.3% and the apoptotic index of cells was 30.5 ± 1.5%. hTERT plays an essential role in cell proliferation and control of the viability of leukemic cells, thus promising the development of drugs for leukemia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology-Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, Iran.
authors.forename: Ebrahim
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Miri-Moghaddam
authors.forename: Abdolkhaleg
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Deezagi
authors.forename: Zahra Sohaila
authors.initials: ZS
authors.lastname: Soheili
authors.forename: Parvin
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Shariati
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000235:genetics; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D018922:HL-60 Cells; D006801:Humans; D015473:Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute / Q000628:therapy*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019098:Telomerase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; C509186:TERT protein, human; D019098:Telomerase