RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of CDDP (cis-dichlorodiamine platinum) on the telomerase of human choroidal melanoma cells and to investigate the toxic effects of CDDP on these cells. To study the relationship between these two effects and to explore the possibility of using CDDP in the chemotherapy of choroidal melanoma. METHODS: It was an experimental research. CDDP was added to the culture medium of primary cultured human choroidal melanoma cells at different concentrations (0.01, 0.1, 1, 10 and 100 mg/L, 72 h) and times (12, 24, 48, 72 and 96 h, 10 mg/L) and the results were compared with that of the controls. Toxic effects of CDDP were evaluated by MTT test and the level of telomerase was measured by PCR-ELISA assay. The correlation between these two effects was analyzed. RESULTS: The telomerase activity was inhibited by CDDP time dependently and dose dependently. Cell viability was decreased when the concentration of CDDP attained 0.1 mg/L and acted for 24 hours. The cell toxicity of CDDP was correlated negatively (r = -0.900, P = 0.037) with the inhibition of telomerase. The cell death was lagged behind the decrease of telomerase. CONCLUSIONS: CDDP is an effective telomerase inhibitor which can decrease the telomerase activity of cultured human choroidal melanoma cells significantly. This effect is dose and time dependent. CDDP can also cause the death of cultured melanoma cells.