Effect of antisense human telomerase RNA on malignant behaviors of gastric carcinoma cell line SGC-7901

Objective: To study the effects of antisense human telomerase RNA (ahTR) transfection on the malignant behaviors of gastric carcinoma cell line SGC-7901 and its potential role in gene therapy for tumor. Methods: An antisense hTR eukaryotic expression vector containing the sequence of template region of telomere repeats was transfected into gastric carcinoma cell line SGC-7901 with liposome DOTAP. The expressions of hTR RNA and antisense hTR RNA were observed with RT-PCR, telomerase activity with PCR-ELISA. Telomere length was measured with Southern blot. Cell morphology and cellular proliferation capacity were studied with MTT assay. Cell cycle distribution and apoptotic state were observed with flow cytometry. Efficiency of clone formation in soft agar and tumorigencity in nude mice were examined and evaluated in ahTR-transfected 7901 cells, and plasmid pCL-neo transfected 7901 cells and parental 7901 cells served as control. Results: An antisense hTR eukaryotic expression vector was transfected into 7901 cells successfully. The telomerase activity in ahTR-transfected 7901 cells was decreased from 100% to about 25%, and telomere length in the cells shortened from 4.08 kb to 3.35 kb at 60 population doublings (PDs). Compared with parental 7901 and pCL-neo transfected 7901 cells, ahTR-transfected 7901 cells displayed some morphological changes, including decreased cell atypia and nucleus/cytoplasm ratio under light microscope. Furthermore, ahTR-transfected 7901 cells displayed growth inhibition, decreased invasive capacity in Borden's chamber invasive model, increased G0/G1 phase rate and apoptotic rate, and restored contact inhibition and density inhibition. Surprisingly, ahTR-transfected 7901 cells lost their capacity of clone formation in soft agar and carcinogensis in nude mice. Conclusion: Antisense hTR transfection can induce 7901 cell differentiation and reverse its malignant phenotype. This study provides an exciting approach for cancer therapy through the inhibition of telomerase activity with antisense g