title: Telomerase activity in giant cell tumors of bone.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hiroshima University, 1-2-3 Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima, 734-8551, Japan. tomatsuo@hiroshima-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Toshihiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsuo
authors.forename: Eiso
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hiyama
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sugita
authors.forename: Shoji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shimose
authors.forename: Tadahiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kubo
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mochizuki
authors.forename: Nobuo
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Adachi
authors.forename: Kensaku
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kojima
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sharman
authors.forename: Mitsuo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ochi
mesh_terms: 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*
chemical_list: C509186:TERT protein, human; D019098:Telomerase