Abstract
Telomerase is an attractive target for anti-cancer therapeutics due to its requirement for cellular immortalization and expression in greater than 85% of human neoplasms. Though initially promising, strategies that inhibit telomerase with either small molecules or antisense oligonucleotides have a major limitation, namely the lag time required for telomere shortening before cellular effects are attained. As alternative approaches, immunotherapy and gene therapy have been tailored to exploit, rather than antagonize telomerase expression and/or activity. Immunotherapy requires the presence of the catalytic subunit of telomerase, hTERT, to elicit an immune response directed towards hTERT peptide-presenting cells. hTERT promoter-driven gene therapy and mutant telomerase RNA (hTR) gene therapy depend on the innate telomerase activity of cancer cells to drive the expression of pro-apoptotic genes and to synthesize mutated DNA sequences onto telomeres, respectively. In addition, we will discuss telomestatin, a G-quadruplex binding ligand that may exert anti-proliferative effects independently of telomere shortening. In this review, the progress, advantages, and limitations of these strategies in the ongoing effort to develop clinically relevant telomerase-based cancer therapeutics will be examined.
Keywords: Telomerase, immunotherapy, gene therapy, hTERT, hTR, anti-cancer therapy, G-quadruplex, telomestatin
Anti-Cancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry
Title: Harnessing Telomerase in Cancer Therapeutics
Volume: 7 Issue: 4
Author(s): Johans Fakhoury, Graeme A.M. Nimmo and Chantal Autexier
Affiliation:
Keywords: Telomerase, immunotherapy, gene therapy, hTERT, hTR, anti-cancer therapy, G-quadruplex, telomestatin
Abstract: Telomerase is an attractive target for anti-cancer therapeutics due to its requirement for cellular immortalization and expression in greater than 85% of human neoplasms. Though initially promising, strategies that inhibit telomerase with either small molecules or antisense oligonucleotides have a major limitation, namely the lag time required for telomere shortening before cellular effects are attained. As alternative approaches, immunotherapy and gene therapy have been tailored to exploit, rather than antagonize telomerase expression and/or activity. Immunotherapy requires the presence of the catalytic subunit of telomerase, hTERT, to elicit an immune response directed towards hTERT peptide-presenting cells. hTERT promoter-driven gene therapy and mutant telomerase RNA (hTR) gene therapy depend on the innate telomerase activity of cancer cells to drive the expression of pro-apoptotic genes and to synthesize mutated DNA sequences onto telomeres, respectively. In addition, we will discuss telomestatin, a G-quadruplex binding ligand that may exert anti-proliferative effects independently of telomere shortening. In this review, the progress, advantages, and limitations of these strategies in the ongoing effort to develop clinically relevant telomerase-based cancer therapeutics will be examined.
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Cite this article as:
Johans Fakhoury , Graeme A.M. Nimmo and Chantal Autexier , Harnessing Telomerase in Cancer Therapeutics, Anti-Cancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry 2007; 7 (4) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/187152007781058622
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/187152007781058622 |
Print ISSN 1871-5206 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1875-5992 |
Call for Papers in Thematic Issues
Induction of cell death in cancer cells by modulating telomerase activity using small molecule drugs
Telomeres are distinctive but short stretches present at the corners of chromosomes and aid in stabilizing chromosomal makeup. Resynthesis of telomeres supported by the activity of reverse transcriptase ribonucleoprotein complex telomerase. There is no any telomerase activity in human somatic cells, but the stem cells and germ cells undergone telomerase ...read more
Role of natural compounds as anti anti-cancer agents
Cancer is considered the leading cause of worldwide mortality, accounting for nearly 10 million deaths in 2022. Cancer outcome can be improved through an appropriate screening and early detection and through an efficient clinical treatment. Chemotherapy remains an important approach in treatment o f several types of cancers, even though ...read more
Signaling and enzymatic modulators in cancer treatment
Cancer accounts for nearly 10 million deaths in 2022 and is considered the leading cause of worldwide mortality. Cancer outcome can be improved through an appropriate screening and early detection and through an efficient clinical treatment. Chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery are the most important approach for the treatment of several ...read more
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