Telomerase activity in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and lesions unstained with Lugol's solution.
OBJECTIVE
Telomerase is a ribonucleoprotein enzyme that protects erosion of telomeres at the ends of chromosomes and its activity has been detected in immortalized cells and most human cancers.


METHODS
We analyzed telomerase activity in primary esophageal squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) without any preoperative treatment and lesions unstained with Lugol's solution, using a telomeric repeat amplification protocol (a TRAP) assay.


RESULTS
Strong telomerase activities were detected in all resected specimens of esophageal SCCs, and in 33 of 40 endoscopic biopsy specimens of lesions unstained with Lugol's solution. Among lesions unstained with Lugol's solution, 19 of 19 esophageal SCCs, and 13 of 13 dysplasias, which are considered as clinically precancerous lesions had strong telomerase activities.


CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate that reactivation of telomerase may occur at an early stage in the carcinogenesis of esophageal SCCs, and telomerase activity may be a practically useful molecular biological marker for supporting the diagnosis of early esophageal SCCs.
Yoneyama
Katsuya
K
First Department of Surgery, Yokohama City University School of Medicine, Kanagawa, Japan. fuk1surg@med.yokohama-cu.ac.jp
Yasumoto
Shigeru
S
Aoyama
Norio
N
Koizumi
Hiroyoshi
H
Imada
Toshio
T
Takanashi
Yoshinori
Y
D000368:Aged; D001483:Base Sequence; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005629:Frozen Sections; D006801:Humans; D007454:Iodides; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011379:Prognosis; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D019098:Telomerase / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D007454:Iodides; D019098:Telomerase; C010389:Lugol's solution