Therapeutic Potential of T-oligo and its Mechanism of Action

Traditional chemotherapy is the first treatment option for the majority of cancer patients, but due to harsh and toxic side effects, more targeted therapies are needed. T-oligo is an oligonucleotide homologous to the 3' overhang of the telomere. It induces several DNA damage and anti-cancer responses similar to experimental telomere loop disruption, including senescence, apoptosis and differentiation in malignant cells. To explore T-oligo's anticancer potential, a panel of 6 malignant melanoma cell lines was treated with T-oligo. Melanoma cell lines with functional p53 or p73 exhibited cell death ranging from 11.80% to 31.73% after T-oligo treatment, with MU and MM-AN melanoma cells expressing the maximum response. Results demonstrated a 98% reduction in tumor size, as well as up regulation of differentiation markers important for anti-tumor immune responses. This study provides novel evidence which further establishes p53/p73 as crucial downstream signalling proteins and important players in T-oligo mediated anti-cancer effects in melanoma. The results clearly demonstrate that T-oligo may be an effective and novel therapeutic for melanoma.