[The study on the role of telomerase activity in human nasopharyngeal carcinoma].
OBJECTIVE
To elucidate the role of telomerase activity in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).


METHODS
Telomerase activity was detected using the telomere repeat amplification protocol(TRAP) combined with silver staining in 42 low-differentiated squamous carcinoma, 10 normal nasopharyngeal mucosae and 8 nasopharyngeal fibrohemangioma.


RESULTS
Telomerase activity was detectable in 20% normal nasopharyngeal mucosae and 88.1% in NPC. The activity of telomerase was not detectable in 8 nasopharyngeal fibrohemangioma tissues. Telomerase activity was present more frequently in NPC biopsies with positive lymph node metastasis than in those without lymph node metastasis (P = 0.035). Furthermore, telomerase activity was observed more frequently in advanced NPC than in early stage (P = 0.048). However, there was no evidence to show the relationship between telomerase activity and other clinical features, such as age, gender and distant metastasis (P > 0.05). Serum EBV marker(VCA-IgA) was observed more frequently in NPC than in normal nasopharyngeal mucosae patients(P < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Telomerase activity may play a critical role in the tumorigenesis of NPC. Detection of telomerase activity combined with serological EBV markers may contribute to the screening and early diagnosis of NPC.
Peng
H
H
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Nanfang Hospital, First Military Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China. penghong@fimmu.edu.cn
Wang
X
X
Yang
G
G
Jiang
S
S
Zhao
T
T
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000201:enzymology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology*; D019098:Telomerase / Q000378:metabolism*
D019098:Telomerase