[Expression of telomerase reverse transcriptase and its relationship with tumor suppressor gene p53 in HCC].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the expression of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (HTERT) and its relationship with tumor suppressor gene p53.


METHODS
RNA-RNA in situ hybridization (ISH) technique was applied to localize the expression of HTERT mRNA and immunohistochemistry (IHC) was used to observe the p53 protein expression in 34 specimens of HCC and their corresponding non-cancerous tissues. Both the significance of HTERT mRNA expression in the different histopathologic characters and its relationship with p53 protein were investigated.


RESULTS
HTERT was detected in tumor tissue in 30 of 34 cases (88.2%), and all the 6 cases of small cancer (diameter<3cm) were positive. The positive rate of HTERT mRNA was higher in the tumor tissues with low-differentiation, extra- or intra-hepatic metastasis, uncompleted fibrotic capsule and/or the non-cancerous tissue with chronic active lesions or positive HBsAg. Intensive signal was seen both in the HCC cells along the front of invasive area and in a few non-cancerous liver cells with dysplasia. Of all 34 HCC, p53 protein was presented in 25 cases. There was a correlation between the expression of HTERT mRNA and of p53 protein. The coincidence rate of the expression (HTERT+/p53+ and HTERT-/p53-) was 79.4%. More intensity of HTERT signal could be seen in the cases of positive p53. HTERT mRNA was not found in normal liver tissues.


CONCLUSIONS
High expression of HTERT mRNA is proved in most cases of HCCs. HTERT expression may relate to the pathogenesis and the invasion of HCC. p53 may play a role in regulating the expression of HTERT.
Dai
D
D
Department of Pathology, Fudan Medical Center, Shanghai 200032, China.
Zhai
W
W
Zhu
T
T
Zhu
H
H
Ling
Y
Y
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D019098:Telomerase / Q000235:genetics*; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000032:analysis*
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D019098:Telomerase