Detection of human telomerase RNA in the tumour-surrounding mucosa of bladder carcinomas as a marker for premalignant transformation.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate tumour tissue and non-malignant tumour-surrounding bladder mucosa (NTSBM) for expression of human telomerase RNA (hTR) as a possible marker for premalignant transformation of urothelial cells.


METHODS
From 67 patients with superficial transitional cell carcinoma (TCC), sections with representative tumour tissue and NTSBM were selected for evaluation. Sections with moderate or severe dysplasia were omitted from evaluation. hTR expression was detected with in situ hybridization using a 35S-UTP-labelled riboprobe, and analysed semiquantitatively by counting the hybridization signals.


RESULTS
In 45 of the 67 patients hTR expression was moderate or strong in tumour tissue, and in 20 hTR expression was moderate or strong in NTSBM. Moderate or strong hTR expression was detected in the NTSBM from 19 of 60 patients with pTa/pT1 tumours. Of the 56 patients who were treated conservatively, eight had tumour recurrence, of whom five had moderate or strong hTR expression in the TSBM, compared with only 14 of 48 patients without tumour recurrence.


CONCLUSIONS
Detecting hTR expression and the morphological distribution of hTR hybridization signals in NTSBM by in situ hybridization might indicate premalignant alterations involved in tumour recurrence.
Leuenroth
Sven
S
Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf, University of Hamburg, Germany.
Riethdorf
Sabine
S
Erbersdobler
Andreas
A
Riethdorf
Lutz
L
Löning
Thomas
T
Huland
Hartwig
H
Friedrich
Martin G
MG
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D002278:Carcinoma in Situ / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D002295:Carcinoma, Transitional Cell / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000737:chemistry; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D012313:RNA / Q000032:analysis*; D019098:Telomerase / Q000032:analysis*; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000737:chemistry*; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C422952:telomerase RNA; D012313:RNA; D019098:Telomerase