title: Silencing of the human TERT gene by RNAi inhibits A549 lung adenocarcinoma cell growth in vitro and in vivo.
abstract: Human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) is the catalytic subunit and the activity determinant factor of the telomerase enzyme which maintains the length of human chromosomes. In recent years it has become an attractive molecular target for cancer gene therapy. In the present study, we show that hTERT siRNA effectively suppressed the expression of hTERT mRNA and hTERT protein levels, reduced telomerase activity, and induced apoptosis of A549 lung adenocarcinoma cells (P<0.05). In vivo, tumors treated with the hTERT siRNA were of reduced sizes, indicating that the hTERT siRNA also reduced the tumorigenic potential of lung adenocarcinoma cells (P<0.05). These results demonstrate that hTERT siRNA can cause effective suppression of telomerase and lead to apoptosis in A549 lung adenocarcinoma cells. hTERT siRNA may, therefore, be a strong candidate for highly selective therapy for chemoprevention and treatment of lung adenocarcinoma.
authors: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, PR China.
authors: Mingxuan
authors: M
authors: Xie
authors: Qiong
authors: Q
authors: Chen
authors: Shuya
authors: S
authors: He
authors: Baoshun
authors: B
authors: Li
authors: Chengping
authors: C
authors: Hu
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D000077192:Adenocarcinoma of Lung; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics; D048708:Cell Growth Processes / Q000235:genetics; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D015536:Down-Regulation; D020868:Gene Silencing; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008819:Mice, Nude; D034622:RNA Interference; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics; D019098:Telomerase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics*; D014162:Transfection; D023041:Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; C509186:TERT protein, human; D019098:Telomerase