Inhibitory effect of yiqijiedu powder to telomerase and telomerase RNA in nasopharyngeal tumorigenesis of rats

Objective Telomerase activation is a common event in malignant transformation, and is associated with tumorigenesis. This has been clarified in nasopharyngeal carcinoma. YIQIJIEDU powder (Chinese traditional medicine) is used to treated the patients with nasopharynegeal carcinoma (NPC) after radio-therapy and patients with precancerous lesion of NPC. We investigated whether YIQIJIEDU powder inhibits the telomersae activity in nasopharyngeal carcinogenesis. Methods Nasopharyngeal carcinomas in rats were induced by N, N' Dinitrosopiperazine (DNP), and some of them were treated with YIQIJIEDU powder. Telomerase and telomerase RNA in the rats' nasopharyngeal tissue were assayed by using PCR-ELISSA and Nested-PCR, and were pathologically diagnozed. Results YIQIJIEDU powder could inhibit telomerase activity and nasopharyngeal carcinogenesis in the nasopharyngeal tissue of the rats treated, but no telomerase RNA. Conclusion The findings suggest that the anticancer effect of YIQIJIEDU powder links with their inhibitory effects on telomerase.