How specific is the targeting, i.e. would telomerase therapy “attack” other cells such as reproductive cells?
Anti-telomerase therapy could affect germline (reproductive) cells and possibly stem cells of renewal tissues (such as crypt cells of the intestine, basal cells of the skin, and certain hematopoietic cells of the blood). Our experiments to date indicate that the telomeres of such cells are generally much longer than cancer cell telomeres. Thus, we believe there is a window of opportunity to inhibit telomerase in cancer cells and cause their death without causing the stem cells to “run out” of telomeres. Since the mode of action of telomerase inhibitors may require telomeric shortening before inhibition of cell growth or induction of apoptosis, there may be a significant delay in efficacy. Thus telomerase inhibitors may be useful in early stage cancer to prevent overgrowth of metastatic cells, as well as in high-risk patients with inherited-susceptibility to cancer syndromes to prevent the emergence of telomerase-expressing cells (chemoprevention). In advanced cancer, anti-telomerase ag
