Downregulation of hTERT contributes to ovarian cancer apoptosis and inhibits proliferation of ovarian cancer cells

BACKGROUND: Our study aims to study the effects of the exogenous human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) interfering gene on the ovarian cancer cell line SKOV3 through proliferation and apoptosis. METHODS: Lipofectamine TM2000 was used to transfer the hTERT interfering gene into the SKOV3 cells. After a predetermined amount of time after transfection with the hTERT interfering genes, the expression of the tumor-related genes was detected using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), and relative protein level was detected using western blot analysis. Cell morphology was acquired by microscopy. Cell viability was detected by middle-time-spray (MTS), and cell cycle and apoptosis were detected by flow cytometry. RESULTS: Forty-eight hours after transfection, the expression of tumor-related proteins in the experimental group was increased compared with the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). The cell morphology showed a significant difference between the control group and the hTERT shRNA group. Furthermore, 48 and 72 h after transfection with the hTERT interfering gene, the cell viability inhibition rates of the hTERT shRNA group were 0.77±0.02 and 0.88±0.01 respectively. Compared with the control group, the cell viability inhibition rates were 11.97±2.37 (%) and 18.72±1.01 (%), respectively, with statistically significant differences (P=0.009, P=0.004). Flow cytometry detected the apoptosis peak of SKOV3 cells in the experimental group 48 h after transfection with the hTERT interfering gene. Propidium iodide (PI) and Annexin V-FITC revealed that the apoptotic cells accounted for 18.13% of the total number, which was significantly higher than the 3.85% demonstrated by the control group. CONCLUSIONS: The amount and activity of SKOV3 cells in ovarian cancer was decreased after the exogenous introduction of the hTERT interfering gene.