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Updated: Aug 16, 2025

Utilizing Murine Inducible Telomerase Alleles in the Studies of Tissue Degeneration/Regeneration and Cancer
Published on: April 13, 2015
Photo-induced telomeric DNA damage in human cancer cells
Justin Weynand1,2, Harikleia Episkopou3, Gabriel Le Berre3
1Université catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), Institut de la Matière Condensée et des Nanosciences (IMCN), Molecular Chemistry, Materials and Catalysis (MOST) Place Louis Pasteur 1, bte L4.01.02 B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve Belgium Benjamin.Elias@uclouvain.be.
Abstract:
Herein we report on the study of novel dinuclear ruthenium(ii) complexes designed to target and to photo-react with G-quadruplex telomeric DNA. Upon irradiation, complexes efficiently generate guanine radical cation sites as photo-oxidation products. The compounds also display efficient cell penetration with localization to the nucleus and show strong photocytotoxicity toward osteosarcoma cells. Thanks to a microscopic-based telomere dysfunction assay, which allows the direct visualization of DNA damage in cells, we brought the first evidence of forming photo-oxidative damage at telomeres in cellulo. This emphasizes interesting prospects for the development of future cancer phototherapies.
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