Abstract: Telomerase activity in a sample can be measured using a two reaction protocol. The first reaction involves the formation of telomerase substrate extension products from a telomerase substrate. The second reaction involves replication of the telomerase substrate extension products and/or amplification of signal generated by a bound probe. The presence of telomerase activity in a human somatic tissue or cell sample is positively correlated with the presence of cancer and can be used to diagnose a disease or other conditions of medical interest, as well as the course of disease progression or remission in a patient.

Abstract: Nucleic acids comprising the RNA component of a mammalian telomerase are useful as pharmaceutical, therapeutic, and diagnostic reagents.

Abstract: Methods and compositions for treating cancer and other diseases in which inhibition of telomerase activity can ameliorate disease symptoms or prevent or treat the disease relate to compounds that are derivatives of pyridine aldehydes, thioaldehyde, acetals, or thioacetals. Such compounds are characterized by the following structure: ##STR1## X.sub.1 is selected from the group consisting of oxygen, sulfur, sulfone, sulfinyl, and --NR-- where R is hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, and aralkyl. R.sub.1 is --Y.sub.n R.sub.6, in which n is an integer between 0 and 10 and each Y.sub.n for n greater than 0 independently is methylene, methine, or quarternary carbon. R.sub.6, for any value of n (i.e.

Abstract: Compounds for treating cancer and other diseases involving telomerase activity are characterized by the following structure: ##STR1## Such compounds include those for which X.sub.1 is oxygen, sulfur, sulfone, or sulfinyl, and R.sub.1 is --Y.sub.n R.sub.6, where n is an integer between 0 and 10 and each Y.sub.n independently is methylene, methine, or quaternary carbon. R.sub.6, is alkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, aralkyl, or heteroaralkyl, alkylcarbonyl, arylcarbonyl, heteroalkylcarbonyl, heteroaralkylcarbonyl, aralkylcarbonyl, arninocarbonyl, alkylarninocarbonyl, arylaminocarbonyl, dialkylaminocarbonyl, diarylaminocarbonyl, arylalkylaminocarbonyl, carboxyl, carboxaldehyde, alkoxycarbonyl, aryloxycarbonyl, sulfo, alkylsulfonyl, arylsulfonyl, alkylsulfinyl, or arylsulfinyl. R.sub.6 can also be a linker selected from the group consisting of alkyl, aryl, and heterocycle. R.sub.

Abstract: Methods and compositions for treating cancer and other diseases in which inhibition of telomerase activity can ameliorate disease symptoms or prevent or treat the disease relate to compounds that are derivatives of pyrido?b!thiophenes, pyrido?b!furans, pyridine ethers or pyridine thioethers. Such compounds are characterized by the following structure: ##STR1## X.sub.3 is oxygen or sulfur; and the double dashed lines between X.sub.4 and X.sub.5 indicate an optional double bond, which, when present, forms a fused, bicyclic pyrido?b!furan or pyrido?b!thiophene ring system, depending upon whether X.sub.3 is oxygen or sulfur, respectively. When the double bond is not present, the compound is a monocyclic pyridine ether or thioether, again depending upon whether X.sub.3 is oxygen or sulfur. X.sub.4 is --CH.sub.2 R.sub.21 or --CR.sub.21 --, where R.sub.

Abstract: Identification of senescence-related genes can be accomplished by comparing mRNA expression between young and senescent cells. Probes complementary to such genes can be used to detect senescent cells and distinguish between young and senescent cells as well as in screens to identify compounds that alter expression levels of senescence-related genes.

Abstract: Methods are provided for the determination of telomere length. These methods can be used for diagnosis of cancer and the staging of cancer, and diagnosis of senecesence in cells. Also, the instant methods can be used to determine stages of diseases such as atherosclerosis or HIV infection, and can be used to diagnose infertility.

Abstract: Methods and compositions for treating cancer and other diseases in which inhibition of telomerase activity can ameliorate disease symptoms or prevent or treat the disease relate to compounds that are derivatives of benzo?b!thiophenes. Such compounds are characterized by the following structure: ##STR1## In this compound, R.sub.1 is selected from the group consisting of --OR.sub.7, --NR.sub.8 R.sub.9, --NHNR.sub.10 R.sub.11, --NHNHC(X.sub.2)NHR.sub.12, --NHSO.sub.2 NR.sub.8 R.sub.9, --NHNHC(O)R.sub.12, --NHNHSO.sub.2 R.sub.12 and --NHC(O)NR.sub.8 R.sub.9. R.sub.7 -R.sub.12 are selected independently from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, aralkyl, heteroaryl and heteroaralkyl. X.sub.1 and X.sub.2 are selected independently from the group consisting of oxygen and sulfur. R.sub.2 is hydrogen or halogen. R.sub.3 -R.sub.6 are selected independently from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, hydroxyl, --NR.sub.8 R.sub.9, nitro, cyano, alkoxyl, lower alkyl, aryl and aryloxyl.

Abstract: Methods and compositions for treating cancer and other diseases in which inhibition of telomerase activity can ameliorate disease symptoms or prevent or treat the disease relate to compounds characterized by the following structure: ##STR1## and its pharmaceutically acceptable salts. Z is selected from the group consisting of oxygen, sulfur, sulfone, sulfinyl and --NR--, where R selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, and aralkyl. R.sub.1 is --Y.sub.n R.sub.6, where n is an integer between 0 and 10 and each Y.sub.n for n greater than 0 independently is methylene, methine, or quaternary carbon, and R.sub.

Abstract: Method and compositions are provided for the determination of telomere length and telomerase activity, as well as the ability to increase or decrease telomerase activity in the treatment of proliferative diseases. Particularly, primers are elongated under conditions which minimize interference from other genomic sequences, so as to obtain accurate determinations of telomeric length or telomerase activity. In addition, compositions are provided for intracellular inhibition of telomerase activity and means are shown for slowing or reversing the loss of telomeric repeats in aging cells.

Abstract: Telomerase activity in a sample can be measured using a two reaction protocol involving telomerase substrate and primer extension steps.

Abstract: Inhibition of the enzyme poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase can delay the onset of senescence and inhibitors of the enzyme can be used to treat diseases caused or exacerbated by cellular senescence.

Abstract: Nucleic acids comprising the RNA component of a mammalian telomerase are useful as pharmaceutical, therapeutic, and diagnostic reagents.

Abstract: An improved method for detecting and isolating differentially expressed mRNAs which comprises using first oligonucleotide primers for reverse transcription of mRNAs and both the first oligonucleotide primers and second oligonucleotide primers for amplification of the resultant cDNAs. The improvement of this method comprises providing first and second oligonucleotide primers with a length of at least 21 oligonucleotides. The method further comprises using a two-step PCR amplification, wherein non-stringent conditions are used for the first 1 to 4 cycles, and stringent conditions are used for the next 16 to 22 cycles. This highly reproducible method will permit the preparation of comprehensive catalogs of gene expression for any given cell type.

Abstract: Purified trypsin-sensitive agent or analog thereof, able to downregulate collagenase, PAI-1 and .beta.APP expression in senescent cells isolatable from culture medium having growing fibroblasts or U937 promyelocytic cells.