AIM: To evaluate the inhibitory effect of antisense phosphorothioate oligonucleotide (asON) complementary to the initiator of human telomerase catalytic subunit (hTERT)on the growth of hepatoma cells.METHODS: The as-hTERT was synthesized by using a DNA synthesizer. HepG2.2.15 cells were treated with ashTERT at the concentration of 10 μmol/L. After 72 h, these cells were obtained for detecting growth inhibition,telomerase activity using the methods of MTT, TRAP-PCR-ELISA, respectively. BALB/c(nu/nu) mice were injected HepG2.2.15 cells and a human-nude mice model was obtained. There were three groups for anti-tumor activity study. Once tumors were established, these animals in the first group were administered as-hTERT and saline.Apoptosis of tumor cells was detected by FCM. In the 2nd group, the animals were injected HepG2.2.15 cells together with as-hTERT. In the third group, the animals were given as-hTERT 24 hours postinjection of HepG2.2.15 cells. The anti-HBV effects were assayed with ELISA ih vitro and in vivo.RESULTS: Growth inhibition was observed in cells treated with as-hTERT ih vitro. A significant different in the value of A570-A630 was found between cells treated with as-hTERT and control (P＜0.01) by MTT method. The telomerase activity of tumor cells treated with as-hTERT was reduced,the value of A450 nm was 0.42 compared to control (1,49)with TRAP-PCR-ELISA. The peak of apoptosis in tumor cells given as-hTERT was 21. 12%, but not seen in saline-treated control. A prolonged period of carcinogenesis was observed in the second and third group animals. There was inhibitory effect on the expression of HBsAg and HBeAg ih vivo and in vitro.CONCLUSION: As-hTERT has an anti-tumor activity, which may be useful for gene therapy of tumors.