title: Quantitative detection of telomerase activity by real-time TRAP assay in the body fluids of cancer patients.
abstract: Real-time TRAP assay was developed to improve the sensitivity and quantitative detection of telomerase activity in the body fluids of cancer patients. The sensitivity and clinical significance of the real-time TRAP assay was investigated. Real-time PCR protocol was modified by using ACX primer and SYBR green mixture from the process of TS primer extension. Real-time TRAP showed high correlation (r2=0.843, p=0.001) and sensitivity (25 times higher) compared to conventional TRAP. Of 164 samples, there were 8 positives in cytology (4.9%), 7 (4.3%) using the conventional TRAP, and 41 (25%) using real-time TRAP. In cytology positive samples, real-time TRAP showed a higher positivity than conventional TRAP (75% vs 63%) suggesting a higher sensitivity in the body fluids. There was a tendency towards a longer progression-free duration in telomerase negative patients than in positive patients, as determined by conventional and real-time TRAP. The diagnostic interval between the first positivity documentation and clinical progression was short in the order of real-time TRAP, conventional TRAP and cytology. In conclusion, real-time TRAP assay can detect telomerase activity at an earlier phase of cancer progression and can replace conventional TRAP assay for detecting the telomerase activity in body fluids.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Metastasis Research Center, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Shinchon-dong, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Woo Young
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Shim
authors.forename: Kyu Hyun
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Hei-Chul
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Jeung
authors.forename: Yong Tae
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Tae Soo
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Woo Jin
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Hyung
authors.forename: Sung Hwan
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: An
authors.forename: Sang Hwa
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Sung Hoon
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Noh
authors.forename: Hyun Cheol
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Sun Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Rha
mesh_terms: D001826:Body Fluids / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000201:enzymology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D019098:Telomerase / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D019098:Telomerase