Effects of different doses of X-ray on telomerase in human osteosarcoma cells (HOS cells)

To investigate the effects of different doses of X-ray on the telomerase in human osteosarcoma (HOS) cells and to provide theoretical evidence for the clinical application of radiotherapy in osteosarcoma. Log phase HOS cells were radiated using 1, 2, 4 and 8 Gy doses of X-ray separately and cell survival was measured using MTT method, telomerase activity by ELISA, and telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) expression by immuno-histochemistry. Telomerase RNA was also quantitatively analyzed using RT-PCR. Cell apoptosis was positively correlated to X-ray doses and telomerase activity was enhanced greatly, as well as hTERT and telomerase RNA expression. Under the interference of X-ray, X-ray doses were negatively correlated to HOS cell survival and positively correlated to telomerase activity; HOS cell survival was negatively correlated to telomerase activity; hTERT, telomerase RNA and telomerase activity changed synchronically.