title: Human telomerase reverse transcriptase is a promising target for cancer inhibition in squamous cell carcinomas.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present study aimed to investigate whether the down-regulation of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) may induce an anti-invasive effect in oral squamous cell cancer cell lines.
  
  
  METHODS
  A genetically-engineered squamous carcinoma cell line overexpressing hTERT in immortalized oral keratinocytes transfected by human papilloma virus (HPV)-16 E6/E7 (IHOK) was used. In vivo tumorigenicity was examined using an orthotopic xenograft model of nude mice. For evaluating anti-invasive activity by knockdown of hTERT expression, transwell invasion assay and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) were employed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The down-regulation of hTERT expression reduced the invasive activity and MMP expression. This result was re-confirmed in the HSC3 oral squamous carcinoma cell line.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Targeting hTERT may lead to novel therapeutic approaches.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology, Oral Cancer Research Institute and Brain Korea PLUS 21 Project, College of Dentistry, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Young-Jin
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology, Oral Cancer Research Institute and Brain Korea PLUS 21 Project, College of Dentistry, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Eun-Kyoung
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology, Oral Cancer Research Institute and Brain Korea PLUS 21 Project, College of Dentistry, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sook
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology, Oral Cancer Research Institute and Brain Korea PLUS 21 Project, College of Dentistry, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Doo-Pyo
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology, Oral Cancer Research Institute and Brain Korea PLUS 21 Project, College of Dentistry, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jung Yoon
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Bae
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology, Oral Cancer Research Institute and Brain Korea PLUS 21 Project, College of Dentistry, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea jink@yuhs.ac.
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002465:Cell Movement; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002472:Cell Transformation, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D051358:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 4 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008819:Mice, Nude; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009856:Oncogene Proteins, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D050725:Papillomavirus E7 Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000235:genetics; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D019098:Telomerase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D023041:Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
chemical_list: C068651:E6 protein, Human papillomavirus type 16; D009856:Oncogene Proteins, Viral; D050725:Papillomavirus E7 Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D012097:Repressor Proteins; C059731:oncogene protein E7, Human papillomavirus type 16; C495900:CDK4 protein, human; D051358:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 4; C509186:TERT protein, human; D019098:Telomerase
keywords: Human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT); immortal oral keratinocytes; multi-step process; squamous cell carcinoma