Inhibitory effect of a liposome‐mediated antisense oligodeoxynucleotide on telomerase activity in a human gastric cancer cell line

OBJECTIVE : To investigate the effect of a specific antisense oligodeoxynucleotide (ASODN) on the telomerase activity of the human gastric cancer cell line FGC₈₅. METHODS : FGC₈₅ cells were treated in vitro with ASODN complementary to the template region of the RNA component of human telomerase. A cationic liposomal transfection reagent was used as a delivery vector. Telomerase activity was detected by using the telomeric repeat amplification protocol/polymerase chain reaction/enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (TRAP‐PCR‐ELISA) method. RESULTS : The telomerase activity of FGC₈₅ cells was suppressed significantly by the liposome/ASODN treatment and the effect was related to the con‐centration of liposome/ASODN and treatment time. CONCLUSIONS : Specific ASODN have an inhibitory effect on telomerase activity in human gastric cancer cell line FGC₈₅. Specific ASODN could be used in research into gene therapy for cancer treatments and the exploration of carcinogenesis.