TERT in ALM. (A) TERT aberrations in ALM. 41% of patients demonstrated TERT alterations (somatic, germline) and TERT expression. (B,C) TERT inhibition is selectively cytotoxic in ALM cell lines and reduces TERT expression. (B) Cell lines were treated with DMSO vehicle or Telomerase Inhibitor IX, and after 72 h cell viability was assessed by CellTiterGlo. Viability was reduced by at least 75% in ALM cell lines, but only 12% in normal melanocyte controls. (C) Cells were treated with DMSO vehicle or Telomerase Inhibitor IX, and after 72 h, TERT mRNA was quantified by reverse transcription and qPCR. Expression was reduced by at least 25% in ALM cell lines. NHM-002 TERT expression was undetectable.
