Inhibition of 6A8 alpha-mannosidase gene expression resulted in telomere length shortening in nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell CNE-2L2.

Telomere length shortening was observed in the nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell CNE-2L2 when 6A8 alpha-mannosidase expression was inhibited by antisense 6A8 DNA. Transduction with mock or an irrelevant DNA did not affect the telomere length in the carcinoma cells. Telomerase activity and mRNA transcription of TRF 1 and 2 were not changed in the cells treated with antisense 6A8. The Con A binding test showed an enhancement on the proteins isolated from the cells treated with antisense 6A8, but not on those from mock- or irrelevant DNA-treated cells. The data imply an association between glycosylation modification with telomere shortening in antisense 6A8-treated cells.