Telomerase activity in giant cell tumors of bone.
BACKGROUND
A giant cell tumor of bone (GCT) is a histologically benign neoplasma that has an unpredictable pattern of biological aggressiveness. In the present study, we investigated whether there was a correlation between telomere length or the levels of telomerase activity and other clinical features of GCTs, for the possible use of these factors as parameters of aggressiveness or prognosis.


METHODS
In 16 surgically resected GCTs specimens, telomere length was assessed by terminal restriction fragments by Southern blot analysis. Telomerase activity was measured by a semiquantitative polymerase chain reaction-based telomeric repeat amplification protocol assay.


RESULTS
Telomere length reduction was observed in 69% of the GCT samples. The telomere lengths of tumors were significantly shorter than those of normal tissue (P = .008). The mean telomere length of grade 3 tumors was significantly shorter than those of grade 1 and 2 tumors (P = .038). Telomerase activity was detected in 81% of tumor samples. The level of telomerase activity in tumors with local recurrence was significantly higher than in tumors without local recurrence (P = .011).


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that telomere length correlates with roentgenographic grade as a result of the frequency of cell division, and high telomerase activity indicates the aggressiveness of GCTs.
Matsuo
Toshihiro
T
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hiroshima University, 1-2-3 Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima, 734-8551, Japan. tomatsuo@hiroshima-u.ac.jp
Hiyama
Eiso
E
Sugita
Takashi
T
Shimose
Shoji
S
Kubo
Tadahiko
T
Mochizuki
Yu
Y
Adachi
Nobuo
N
Kojima
Kensaku
K
Sharman
Patrick
P
Ochi
Mitsuo
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005121:Extremities / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005266:Femoral Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D018212:Giant Cell Tumor of Bone / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length / Q000235:genetics; D011379:Prognosis; D019098:Telomerase / Q000235:genetics*
C509186:TERT protein, human; D019098:Telomerase