Objective   To explore the effects of the human telomerase RNA (hTR ) antisense oligodeoxynueleotide (ASODN) on cell apoptosis and expression of apoptosis inducing factor (AIF) of human colon cancer SW480 cells.    Methods   hTR antisense oligodeoxynueleotide was transfected into SW480 cells by liposome once a day with contact transfection for 3 d. The SW480 cells with blank plasmid or with ASODN sense oligodeoxynueleotide by liposome transfection served as control. The expression of green fluorescent protein (GFP) was observed by fluorescence microscopy. The cell apoptosis in SW480 cells after transfection were studied by flow cytometry. The expression of AIF was measured by RT-PCR.    Results   After hTR antisense oligodeoxynueleotide was transfected into SW480 cells

GFP was equally distributed in the cells. In 24

48 and 72 h after transfection

flow cytometry indicated that the apoptotic percentages were (3.07±0.11)%

(3.71±0.63)% and (4.23±0.41)% in the blank group

(4.28±0.41)%

(4.49±0.56)% and (5.13±0.56)% in the sense group

and (13.11±0.32)%

(22.04±0.21)% and (16.71±0.82)% in anti-sense group. Significant differences were found in the anti-sense group compared with the blank group and the sense group at every time point (P0.05)

while no difference was seen between the sense group and the blank group (P0.05). There were more AIF mRNA expression in the anti-sense group than in the blank group and the sense group (0.368 3±0.010 9 vs 0.152 7±0.002 and 0.158 0±0.007 8

P0.05）

while there was no difference between the later 2 groups (P0.05) .    Conclusion   hTR antisense oligodeoxynueleotide have obvious anti-tumor effect by improving apoptosis in SW480 cells.