[Telomerase activity and expression of its RNA component in laryngeal cancer].
OBJECTIVE
Expression of telomerase activity and telomerase RNA component have been reported in various human cancers. In the article, we ascertained whether telomerase activity and hTR changes are characteristic of laryngeal cancer.


METHODS
Telomerase activity were examined by telomeric repeat amplification protocol (Trap) and hTR examined by in situ hybridization, in tissue samples from 50 laryngeal cancer, 12 laryngeal polyps, 14 precancerous, 9 normal laryngeal tissue.


RESULTS
1. All tissue expressed various levels of hTR. Positive rate of hTR increased with the clinical stage, but no significant correlation was observed, as well as lymph node metastasis. 2. The telomerase activity were detected in samples 39 of the 50 laryngeal cancer(78%). However, in 12 cases of begin lesions only 8.3% (1/12). Telomerase activity was found to have a relationship with the grade of tumor differentiation. Poorly differentiated laryngeal cancer expressed high level telomerase activity.


CONCLUSIONS
Telomerase activity were an early event of laryngeal cancer. It suggests that detection of telomerase activity could be a good diagnostic marker for distinguish cancer from normal cell.
Du
B D
BD
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, First Teaching Hospital of Bethune University of Medical Sciences, Changchun 130021.
Wang
P
P
Liu
G
G
Zhang
F L
FL
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D012313:RNA / Q000378:metabolism*; D019098:Telomerase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D012313:RNA; D019098:Telomerase