title: Clinical significance and usefulness of quantification of telomerase activity in oral malignant and nonmalignant lesions.
abstract: We quantified telomerase activity (TA) in patients with oral and maxillofacial malignant and nonmalignant lesions, and compared it with their clinical status and grade of malignancy. Fifty-two malignant and 52 nonmalignant lesions were analyzed. All malignant lesions were pathologically diagnosed as oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Normal gingival tissue served as a control. These specimens were obtained by biopsy or surgical resection, and stored at -80 degrees C until use. TA was quantified by a fluorescence-based TRAP method. TA levels ranged from 0.00 to 95.24 (average 33.24)U/microgP in 52 malignant lesions, and from 0.00 to 79.35 (average 11.91)U/microgP in 52 nonmalignant lesions (P < 0.0001). TA was detected in 96.2% of malignant and 65.4% of nonmalignant lesions. There was no relationship between TA levels and clinical stages or YK classification. However, under WHO classification, there were significant differences (P < 0.05) between Grades I and III or II + III. Among nonmalignant lesions, epithelial dysplasia showed a significantly higher TA level than that of oral lichen planus (P < 0.05) and other benign lesions (P < 0.0001). Oral lichen planus also significantly differed from other benign lesions (P < 0.05). These results suggest that TA is related to the histological grade of malignancy, and is also useful as a prognostic predictor for precancerous lesions and conditions.
authors.affiliation: Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, 2-5274 Gakkocho-dori, Niigata city, Niigata 951-8514, Japan. fujita1@dent.niigata-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fujita
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nagata
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hoshina
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nagashima
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Seki
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nishizawa
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shingaki
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ohnishi
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Takagi
mesh_terms: D000135:Acid Phosphatase; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D004848:Epithelium / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007527:Isoenzymes; D017676:Lichen Planus, Oral / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D000071681:Tartrate-Resistant Acid Phosphatase; D019098:Telomerase / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D007527:Isoenzymes; D019098:Telomerase; D000135:Acid Phosphatase; D000071681:Tartrate-Resistant Acid Phosphatase