title: Silencing of hTERT blocks growth and migration of anaplastic thyroid cancer cells.
abstract: Mutations in the hTERT promoter responsible for constitutive telomerase activity are the most frequent genetic alteration detected in anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC), and proposed as diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in these tumours. In this study we analyzed hTERT expression in a series of human ATCs and investigated the effects of small-interfering RNA-mediated silencing of hTERT on viability and migration and invasive properties of three human ATC cell lines. Expression of hTERT mRNA resulted increased in 8/10 ATCs compared to normal thyroid tissues. Silencing of hTERT in CAL-62, 8505C and SW1736 cells did not modify telomere length but determined a significant decrease (about 50%) of cell proliferation in all cell lines and a great reduction (about 50%) of migration and invasion capacity. These finding demonstrate that hTERT may be considered as a molecular target for ATC treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, "Magna Graecia" University of Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Maggisano
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, "Magna Graecia" University of Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Marilena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Celano
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, "Magna Graecia" University of Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni Enrico
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Lombardo
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, "Magna Graecia" University of Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Saverio Massimo
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Lepore
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, "Sapienza" University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Marialuisa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sponziello
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, "Sapienza" University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rosignolo
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, "Sapienza" University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Verrienti
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Area, University of Udine, 33100 Udine, Italy.
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Baldan
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Perugia, 06100 Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: Efisio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Puxeddu
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, "Sapienza" University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Cosimo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Durante
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, "Sapienza" University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Sebastiano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Filetti
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Area, University of Udine, 33100 Udine, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Damante
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, "Magna Graecia" University of Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy. Electronic address: d.russo@unicz.it.
authors.forename: Diego
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, "Magna Graecia" University of Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bulotta
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002453:Cell Cycle; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000235:genetics*; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000235:genetics; D002470:Cell Survival; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D020868:Gene Silencing; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000378:metabolism; D019098:Telomerase / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D016615:Telomere / Q000378:metabolism; D065646:Thyroid Carcinoma, Anaplastic / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D019098:Telomerase
keywords: Growth inhibition; Invasion; Migration; Telomerase; Thyroid cancer; siRNA