[Effect of human telomerase reverse transcriptase gene antisense oligodeoxynucleotide on telomerase activity in leukemia cells].

To explore the effect of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) gene antisense oligodeoxynucleotide (ASODN) on telomerase activity in primary acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells and chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) cells, polymerase chain reaction enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (PCR-ELISA) was used to determine telomerase activity. The expression levels of hTERT protein were assayed by flow cytometry using immunofluorescence labeling. Immunofluorescence assay showed that the expression levels of hTERT protein in AML and CML cells decreased with time after hTERT ASODN treatment. There was no difference in hTERT protein levels between control and sense oligodeoxynucleotide (SODN)-treated cells. Telomerase activity decreased when AML and CML cells were treated with ASODN for 48 h. Telomerase activity of AML and CML cells was significantly inhibited when the cells treated with ASODN for 72 h. There was no difference in telomerase activity levels between control and hTERT SODN-treated cells. It was concluded that hTERT ASODN could inhibit hTERT protein expression level, thus decreasing the telomerase activity in primary AML and CML cells.