Targeting telomerase in cancer cells using degrader-based platforms

Telomeres progressively shorten during each cell division as a result of the “end replication problem”. A hallmark of cancer is unrestricted cell proliferation, which correlates to the maintenance of telomere length through the activation of telomerase or telomerase-independent recombination mechani...

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Main Author: Lim, Natalie Bao Ying
Other Authors: Phan Anh Tuan
Format: Final Year Project
Language:English
Published: Nanyang Technological University 2021
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Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10356/148039
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Institution: Nanyang Technological University
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spelling sg-ntu-dr.10356-1480392023-04-10T15:38:23Z Targeting telomerase in cancer cells using degrader-based platforms Lim, Natalie Bao Ying Phan Anh Tuan School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences PhanTuan@ntu.edu.sg Science::Chemistry Telomeres progressively shorten during each cell division as a result of the “end replication problem”. A hallmark of cancer is unrestricted cell proliferation, which correlates to the maintenance of telomere length through the activation of telomerase or telomerase-independent recombination mechanisms. Strategies targeting telomerase as an anti-cancer approach have emerged over the years since the expression of telomerase is high in cancer cells, but low or undetectable in normal somatic cells. Current approaches targeting telomerase are largely achieved using telomerase inhibitors that work by modulating its activity via temporary inhibition. Since a sustained interaction is required with the intended target, higher drug dosages are often needed for complete inhibition, which might result in undesirable side effects. On the contrary, degrader-based platforms that control the abundance of the disease-implicated RNA or protein target have emerged as alternative therapeutic approaches. In this work, a degrader-based platform using gapmer antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) has been successfully constructed to reduce telomerase activity in cancer cells. The high in vivo stability, efficient cellular uptake, and high knockdown efficacy of our gapmer ASO against hTR demonstrate their potential as a new class of degrader-based platforms for cancer therapy. Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and Biological Chemistry 2021-04-22T12:26:02Z 2021-04-22T12:26:02Z 2021 Final Year Project (FYP) Lim, N. B. Y. (2021). Targeting telomerase in cancer cells using degrader-based platforms. Final Year Project (FYP), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. https://hdl.handle.net/10356/148039 https://hdl.handle.net/10356/148039 en CM4111 application/pdf Nanyang Technological University
institution Nanyang Technological University
building NTU Library
continent Asia
country Singapore
Singapore
content_provider NTU Library
collection DR-NTU
language English
topic Science::Chemistry
spellingShingle Science::Chemistry
Lim, Natalie Bao Ying
Targeting telomerase in cancer cells using degrader-based platforms
description Telomeres progressively shorten during each cell division as a result of the “end replication problem”. A hallmark of cancer is unrestricted cell proliferation, which correlates to the maintenance of telomere length through the activation of telomerase or telomerase-independent recombination mechanisms. Strategies targeting telomerase as an anti-cancer approach have emerged over the years since the expression of telomerase is high in cancer cells, but low or undetectable in normal somatic cells. Current approaches targeting telomerase are largely achieved using telomerase inhibitors that work by modulating its activity via temporary inhibition. Since a sustained interaction is required with the intended target, higher drug dosages are often needed for complete inhibition, which might result in undesirable side effects. On the contrary, degrader-based platforms that control the abundance of the disease-implicated RNA or protein target have emerged as alternative therapeutic approaches. In this work, a degrader-based platform using gapmer antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) has been successfully constructed to reduce telomerase activity in cancer cells. The high in vivo stability, efficient cellular uptake, and high knockdown efficacy of our gapmer ASO against hTR demonstrate their potential as a new class of degrader-based platforms for cancer therapy.
author2 Phan Anh Tuan
author_facet Phan Anh Tuan
Lim, Natalie Bao Ying
format Final Year Project
author Lim, Natalie Bao Ying
author_sort Lim, Natalie Bao Ying
title Targeting telomerase in cancer cells using degrader-based platforms
title_short Targeting telomerase in cancer cells using degrader-based platforms
title_full Targeting telomerase in cancer cells using degrader-based platforms
title_fullStr Targeting telomerase in cancer cells using degrader-based platforms
title_full_unstemmed Targeting telomerase in cancer cells using degrader-based platforms
title_sort targeting telomerase in cancer cells using degrader-based platforms
publisher Nanyang Technological University
publishDate 2021
url https://hdl.handle.net/10356/148039
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