TERT and hepatocellular carcinoma: To validate the specificity and efficacy of the TERT-targeting trans-splicing ribozyme in a syngeneic orthotopic murine model of HCC, adenovirus encoding a mouse TERT (mTERT)-targeting trans-splicing ribozyme (Ad-mCRT) was constructed, and the transgene expression and stimulation of cytotoxic activity in mTERT(+) cells by the adenovirus was confirmed (Supplementary Fig. 6).