¡¾Abstract¡¿ AIM: To observe the killing effect of HSVª²tk/GCV system on cervical carcinoma cells under the control of hTERT(human telomerase reverse transcriptase) core promoter. METHODS: An eukaryotic expression vector containing HSVª²tk gene under the control of hTERT core promoter was constructed and was transfected into cervical carcinoma cells(HeLa) and vessel endothelial cells(ECV304) by liposome method. Transfected cells were then selected with G418 and RTª²PCR was used to detect the tk gene expression in HeLa cells and ECV304 cells. After GCV was added, flow cytometry method were applied to investigate its cell killing effect. RESULTS: pCIª²neo/hTERTª²tk/GCV system under the control of hTERT induced the apoptosis in more than 36.7% of cervical carcinoma cells, but not in normal vessel endothelial cells. CONCLUSION: hTERT gene core promoter is tumorª²specific and may be useful in tk gene therapy of cervical carcinoma and in reducing the side effects of the therapy.

    ¡¾Keywords¡¿ telomerase; promoter regions (genetics); cervix neoplasms; tk gene ......