[Study of telomerase activity and its related genes expression in leukemia cells].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the changes of telomerase activity and its related genes expression in leukemia cells and their roles in leukemogenesis.


METHODS
The telomerase activity in bone marrow cells of 47 leukemia patients were detected by a semi-quantitative telomeric repeat amplification protocol (TRAP)-silver staining, and the expression of telomerase related genes hEST2, TP1 and hTR by semi-quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).


RESULTS
The telomerase activity and expression of telomerase related genes were significantly higher in 42 leukemia patients in progress stage than that in complete remission/chronic stage and in normal/anemia cases (P < 0.01). The telomerase activity and expression of TP1, hTR gene in 14 cases of acute leukemia complete remission (AL-CR)/chronic myelogenous (CML)-chronic stage were higher than that in normal/anemia cases (P < 0.05). Low levels of telomerase activity and telomerase related genes expression could be detected in part of normal bone marrow cells. The levels of telomerase activity and telomerase related genes expression in 3 cases of anemia increased after short-term culture.


CONCLUSIONS
High level of telomerase activity and its related genes expression were specific markers of malignant hematopoietic cells and their changes might be useful for observation of treatment effectiveness in leukemia. Low level of telomerase activity was associated with hematopoietic stem cells with the ability of proliferation. hEST2 gene might be a up-regulation gene of telomerase; hTR might be related to feedback regulation of telomerase.
Xia
F
F
Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China.
Yuan
Y
Y
Chen
R
R
Liu
P
P
Zhou
H
H
Wang
J
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000201:enzymology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D015973:Gene Expression Regulation, Leukemic; D006801:Humans; D007938:Leukemia / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019098:Telomerase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult
D019098:Telomerase