nsc-614846 and Cell-Transformation--Viral

Spontaneous transformation of mouse embryonic fibroblasts in the presence of the reverse transcriptase inhibitors azidothymidine and carbovir led to the formation of telomerase-free clones. After prolonged cultivation of fibroblasts in the presence of carbovir, resistant cells with a very high level of telomerase activity were obtained. Azidothymidine and carbovir, but not dideoxycytidine, induced senescence-like processes in cultures of immortal mouse fibroblasts. After long-term incubation, cell proliferation gradually decreased, their morphology becoming similar to that of the senescent ones. The process was reversible: after inhibitor removal, the cells, including the giant ones, entered mitoses. All these data suggest that reverse transcriptase inhibitors block telomerase function in mouse cells.

Topics: 3T3 Cells; Animals; Antiviral Agents; Base Sequence; Cell Division; Cell Line, Transformed; Cell Transformation, Viral; Cells, Cultured; Cellular Senescence; Dideoxynucleosides; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drug Resistance; Fibroblasts; Mice; Mice, Inbred CBA; Mitosis; Molecular Sequence Data; Polyploidy; Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors; Simian virus 40; Telomerase; Zidovudine