Inhibitory effects of the proliferation of bladder carcinoma cell T24 by antisense oligonucleotide directed against human telomerase reverse transcriptase gene

AIM: To explore the inhibitory effect of antisense oligonucleotide (ASODN) directed against human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) gene on the proliferation of bladder cancer cell line T24 and its mechanism. METHODS: ASODN directed against hTERT gene was transfected into bladder cancer cell line T24 by liposomal transfection. Telomerase activity of T24 cells was analyzed by using polymerase chain reaction enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (PCR ELISA). Cell cycle and apoptosis was examined morphologically by flow cytometry. Proliferation of T24 cells was observed by MTT method. RESULTS: Telomerase activity in T24 cells was significantly inhibited by transfection with ASODN directed against hTERT as compared with that in control and nonsense oligonucleotide (NODN) transfected cells, but no difference between the latter two groups was observed. The inhibitory effect was in a dose and time dependent manner. The proliferation of ASODN transfected T24 cells was statistically lower than that of control, and the cells underwent apoptosis. The rate of apoptosis was 14.8%. CONCLUSION: ASODN directed against hTERT gene could inhibit the proliferation of T24 cells specifically, down regulate telomerase activity and induce apoptosis.