[Effect of antisense oligonucleotide against telomerase in rat spermatogonia and its reactivity to cytokine].

Objectives: To study the change of telomerase activity in rat spermatogonia when the telomerase RNA was enclosed, and reactivity of the change to cytokine(SCF, TGF-beta 1).

Methods: The antisense oligonucleotides(PS-ASON) of telomerase was transfected into proliferating spermatogonia in vitro with the liposomes as the vector. Then the cytokine, stem cell factor (SCF) or transforming growth factor-beta 1(TGF-beta 1), was added. The proliferative activity of the spermatogonia was determined before and after the inhibition by MTT [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide]assay. The change of telomerase activity was detected by telomeric repeat amplification protocol (TRAP).

Results: 1 mumol/L PS-ASON obviously downregulated the telomerase activity and inhibited spermatogonia proliferation. When the inhibition was over, the activity recovered to some extent(P < 0.01). Growth factors can regulate the spermatogonia after inhibition, SCF may improve the activity of telomerase and the proliferation of spermatogonia. Adversely, TGF-beta 1 may inhibit the recovery of telomerase activity.

Conclusions: To inhibit spermatogonia telomerase activity antisensely can limit the proliferation of spermatogonia efficiently, which was regulated by cytokine. This method might be a new and efficient way in male birth control.