Expression of telomerase reverse transcriptase in psoriatic lesional skin.
BACKGROUND
Little information is known about telomerase expression in the chronic benign hyperproliferative skin disease, psoriasis. Further studies are still required to investigate its usefulness as a biomarker of this skin disorder.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the expression of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) in psoriatic lesional skin and its relation to disease severity.


METHODS
The levels of hTERT-mRNA were quantified using real time RT-PCR in lesional versus nonlesional skin specimens from 24 psoriatic patients.


RESULTS
The expression of hTERT was detected in 16 psoriatic lesional specimens (66.7%), but in none of the normal skin. There was no relation between hTERT expression level and age of the patient or the duration of the disease. Among hTERT-positive patients, a significant positive correlation was observed between hTERT-mRNA levels and both the Psoriasis Area-and-Severity Index (PASI) and scaling scores (p = 0.012 & p = 0.006, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
Telomerase mRNA is detectable in lesional skin of most psoriatic patients and correlates with the severity of the disease and the rate of epidermal proliferation.
Mahmoud
Moushira A
MA
Department of Biochemistry, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt. moushiraa@yahoo.com
Mohamed
Roshdy W
RW
Attia
Fadia M
FM
Atwa
Mona A
MA
Abdel-Moneim
Samir M
SM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000201:enzymology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D012867:Skin / Q000201:enzymology*; D019098:Telomerase / Q000235:genetics*
D012333:RNA, Messenger; C509186:TERT protein, human; D019098:Telomerase