Inhibition of endogenous reverse transcriptase and targeting of cells for prophylaxis and therapy of cancer and aging

摘要

Provided are approaches for anticancer and antiaging treatments by administration of reverse transcriptase (RT) activity inhibitors that function to inhibit RT encoded by ORF2 of LINE1, or any RT that can participate in transcriptional activation ofretroelements. Provided are approaches to discovery of new compounds that can inhibit RTs. The methods are applicable for use in populations of cancer cells, pre-cancerous cells, and somatic cells. Provided are methods for monitoring the efficacy of a treatment that inhibits development of resistance to pharmaceutical agents, methods for prophylaxis and/or therapy for a pathology correlated with accumulation of somatic cells capable of spontaneously generating genetic alterations independently of cell divisions. Provided are methods for treating and/or preventing age-related conditions in an individual by administering an agent capable of selectively killing the cells that exhibit genetic instability. Provided are methods for sensitizing cancer cells to a chemotherapeutic agent by administering an RT inhibitor.