An assessment of telomerase enzyme activities in cervical cancer cell lines with treatment of boric acid and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)

Cervical cancer, which causes the death of a woman around the world every 2 minutes, is the second most common cancer after breast cancer. Defined as the trace element since 1980, boron was classified as ?the probably essential elements in human health? after taking into account the lack of epidemiological data in 1996 by the World Health Organization (WHO). In a study conducted in boron-rich regions, it has been identified that there might be a low risk of cervical cancer in those regions. It has been reported that Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) - the most important component of green tea polyphenol- inhibits cervical carcinogen, induces apoptosis and inhibits telomerase activity by treatment. Telomerase is active in a wide range of human cancers. In the current study, it is going to intend the telomerase enzyme activity of EGCG and boric acid in cervical cancer cell line (HTB-32). In this context, the first group of the study is consisted of those samples which are gathered at the end of 1st and 3rd days after the application of EGCG 50 µM and 100 µM to HTB-32 cell line, and at the end of 3rd and 5th days after the application of Boric acid in 500 µM and 1000 µM doses. In the second group, combinations of EGCG and Boric acid in doses 50 µM +500µM , 100 µM +500µM in the order have been applied to same cells, then they have been evaluated at the end of 3rd day. Telomerase activity has been determined by means of real-time polymerase chain reaction of h-TERT mRNA expression levels from the total isolated RNA after dose applications to HTB-32. In the statistical evaluation of the data obtained by t-test; in all doses and durations applied to HTB-32 cells there was no significant difference in telomerase activity (P>0,05). These results suggest that in the result of the applications of Boric acid and EGCG either alone or together, it cannot demonstrate the same effect in different types of cells.