Identification of thymidylate synthase as a potential therapeutic target for lung cancer.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Thymidylate synthase (TS), a key enzyme in the de novo synthesis of thymidine, is an important chemotherapeutic target for malignant tumours including lung cancer. Although inhibition of TS has an antiproliferative effect in cancer cells, the precise mechanism of this effect has remained unclear.

Methods

We examined the effects of TS inhibition with an RNA interference-based approach. The effect of TS depletion on the growth of lung cancer cells was examined using colorimetric assay and flow cytometry.

Results

Measurement of the enzymatic activity of TS in 30 human lung cancer cell lines revealed that such activity differs among tumour histotypes. Almost complete elimination of TS activity by RNA interference resulted in inhibition of cell proliferation in

SUBMITTER: Takezawa K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2920030 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature