Telomerase targeting in cancer treatment: new developments

Telomerase, a ribonucleoprotein expressed in 85% of advanced cancers but no t in most somatic cells, compensates for telomeric DNA erosion and as such stabilizes cell immortality. Telomerase inhibition might restore mortality in tumor cells. Recent progress is illustrated in studies on telomerase and telomere targeting with differentiation induction, reverse transcriptase i nhibitors, promoter down regulation, antisense inhibition, and blockage of telomere/telomerase interactions. Also, new developments are described indi cating that anti-telomerase treatment can induce apoptosis in tumor cells a nd fan chemosensitize drug-resistant cell lines. Implications of these find ings for anti-telomerase-based therapeutic applications, in particular in c ombination therapies, are discussed.