Kelland L. Targeting the limitless replicative potential of cancer: the telomerase/telomere pathway. Clin Cancer Res 2007; 13(17): 4960-3.
Blackburn EH, Greider CW, Szostak JW. Telomeres and telomerase: the path from maize, Tetrahymena and yeast to human cancer and aging. Nat Med 2006; 12(10): 1133-8.
Horikawa I, Barrett JC. Transcriptional regulation of the telomerase hTERT gene as a target for cellular and viral oncogenic mechanisms. Carcinogenesis 2003; 24(7): 1167-76.
Sci J Iran Blood Transfus Organ 2014; 10(4): 335-346
Time-Dependent Inhibitory Effect of Non-Nucleosidic Telomerase Inhibitor on NB4 Cell Proliferation through Transcriptional Suppression of Catalytic Subunit
1Faculty of Allied Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran 2Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Research Center of Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Abstract Background and Objectives
Since stimulated telomerase activity provides nearly all of human malignancies including acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) with unlimited proliferative potential, targeting telomerase seems to be an effective approach in cancer treatment. In this regard, BIBR1532, a small-molecule inhibitor of telomerase, has been shown to increase the therapeutic window of current chemotherapeutic regimens. This study was aimed to investigate the effects of BIBR1532 on cell proliferation as well as transcriptional alteration of hTERT (the catalytic subunit of telomerase).
Materials and Methods
NB4 leukemic cells were treated with various concentrations of BIBR1532 and succeeding trypan blue exclusion assay, BrdU cell proliferation assay, and quantitative real-time PCR were applied to investigate cell viability index, cell proliferation and time-dependent alteration of hTERT mRNA levels.
Results
BIBR1532 decreased cell viability index and exerted an antiproliferative effect against NB4 leukemic cells; we found that exposing cells with BIBR1532 at 30, 60 and 90 μM for 72 h inhibited DNA synthesis rate by 24, 45 and 70%, respectively. Furthermore, transcriptional suppression of hTERT was found upon NB4 treatment by BIBR1532 in a time- and dose-dependent manner.
Conclusions
Based on the short telomere length and high terlomerase activity in APL as well as antiproliferative effect of BIBR1532 against NB4 cells, anti-telomerase-based therapy might be regarded as a successful strategy in APL therapy.
Correspondence: Ghaffari SH., PhD of Molecular Genetics. Associate Professor of Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Shariati Hospital, Kargar Street.
Postal code: 14111, Tehran, Iran. Tel: (+9821) 84902665; Fax: (+9821) 88004140
E-mail: shghaffari@tums.ac.ir