摘要AIM To investigate the effect of recombinant human tumor necrosis factor (rbTNF) on telomerase activityin hepatoma cell line HepG2 and HepG1-6.METHODS TRAP-ELISA method was used to determine the telomerase activity in HepG2 and HepG1-6cells which were treated by different concentrations of rhTNF. In addition, the TERTLuc (800) plasmid wastransiently transfected, which was inserted 800 bp of the human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT)promoter, into HepG2 cells by Lipofect. Different concentrations of rhTNF were added into the culturemedia 2 hours later, and the activity of the hTERT promoter was detected 48 hours after transfection.RESULTS The telomerase activity of HepG2 was suppressed by rhTNF in a dose-dependent manner. Theresults also revealed that the activity of hTERT promoter was inhibited linearly with rhTNF at the dose of 10- 1000 IU/mL.CONCLUSION Inhibition of the hTERT promoter expression by rhTNF may contribute to its anti-tumoractivity.