INHIBITION OF TELOMERASE ACTIVITY OF MELANOMA-CELLS IN-VITRO BY ANTISENSE OLIGONUCLEOTIDES

The effect of antisense oligonucleotides complementary to the RNA comp onent of human telomerase on telomerase activity in cell extracts of t he melanoma cell line SK-Mel-28 has been studied. It has been shown th at the antisense oligonucleotide complementary to the hTR. component i n the region of the template synthesis of telomeric repeats is the mos t efficient inhibitor of telomerase activity in comparison with other antisense oligonucleotides. Pronounced inhibition of telomerase activi ty was observed at the oligonucleotide (Tel P5) concentration in the r eaction mixture of about 5 nM, Complete inhibition of the enzyme occur s at the oligonucleotide concentration in the sample of about 20 nM. ( C) 1998 Academic Press.