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Telomerase as a target for cancer therapy
1Research Centre for Clinical and Diagnostic Oral Sciences, Institute of Dentistry, Queen Mary's School of Medicine & Dentistry, Turner Street, London E1 2AD, UK. e.k.parkinson@qmul.ac.uk
Current Opinion in Investigational Drugs (London, England : 2000)
|July 2, 2005
Summary
Telomerase deregulation allows cancer cells to become immortal. Inhibiting telomerase can kill cancer cells, but drug resistance is a challenge. New combination therapies show promise for overcoming this resistance.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Normal somatic cells experience telomere shortening, leading to senescence.
- Cancer cells often achieve immortality by reactivating the enzyme telomerase.
- Telomerase activity is crucial for maintaining telomere length in most cancer cells.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of telomerase in cancer cell immortality.
- To explore strategies for inhibiting telomerase to induce cancer cell death.
- To address the challenge of acquired drug resistance in telomerase-targeted cancer therapies.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of telomere attrition and replicative senescence in normal and cancer cells.
- Evaluation of cancer cell death following telomerase inhibition.
- Development and assessment of novel therapeutic approaches targeting telomerase.
Main Results:
- Telomerase inhibition leads to telomere attrition and death in cancer cells expressing the enzyme.
- Cancer cells can acquire drug resistance through multiple cell divisions before succumbing to telomerase inhibition.
- Novel therapeutic strategies include potent catalytic inhibitors, telomere access blockers, and telomere structure modifiers.
Conclusions:
- Targeting telomerase is a viable strategy for cancer treatment.
- Overcoming drug resistance is critical for effective telomerase-based therapies.
- Combination therapies targeting telomerase may offer improved clinical outcomes.