Human telomerase reverse transcriptase is a promising target for cancer inhibition in squamous cell carcinomas.

BACKGROUND/AIM The present study aimed to investigate whether the down-regulation of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) may induce an anti-invasive effect in oral squamous cell cancer cell lines. MATERIALS AND METHODS A genetically-engineered squamous carcinoma cell line overexpressing hTERT in immortalized oral keratinocytes transfected by human papilloma virus (HPV)-16 E6/E7 (IHOK) was used. In vivo tumorigenicity was examined using an orthotopic xenograft model of nude mice. For evaluating anti-invasive activity by knockdown of hTERT expression, transwell invasion assay and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) were employed. RESULTS The down-regulation of hTERT expression reduced the invasive activity and MMP expression. This result was re-confirmed in the HSC3 oral squamous carcinoma cell line. CONCLUSION Targeting hTERT may lead to novel therapeutic approaches.