title: Telomere metabolism and diagnostic demonstration of telomere measurement in the human esophagus for distinguishing benign from malignant tissue by tissue quantitative fluorescence in situ hybridization.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We have developed a novel method for evaluating telomere length in four different cell types in non-cancerous and cancerous mucosal tissue from 15 cases of squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus using tissue quantitative fluorescence in situ hybridization (Q-FISH). We hypothesized that the very rapid cell proliferation observed in esophageal squamous cell carcinomas might accelerate the telomere shortening and chromosomal instability associated with carcinogenesis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tissue Q-FISH and the telomere to centromere intensity ratio (TCR) were used to compare telomere shortening in tissue sections taken from esophageal squamous cell carcinomas and adjacent non-cancerous esophageal tissues.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The peak percentage of TCR was <1 for esophageal squamous carcinoma cells and >1 for the non-cancerous esophageal cell types. Basal layer cells had the longest telomeres in comparison with prickle, cancer, and stromal cells, and strongly expressed hTERT, cytokeratin 14 and CD49f, but not MIB-1.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest the presence of stem cells in the basal layer of the esophagus. Esophageal squamous cell carcinomas also display anaphase bridges, evidencing chromosomal instability. In conclusion, our TCR method can be used to distinguish between benign and malignant tissue in esophageal lesions. In order to apply this approach clinically to individual cases, further studies are in progress.
authors: Department of Breast, Tokyo Metropolitan Tama Cancer Detection Center, Fuchu-shi, Tokyo, Japan. kanmori-dis@umin.ac.jp
authors: Makoto
authors: M
authors: Kammori
authors: Naotaka
authors: N
authors: Izumiyama
authors: Ken-ichi
authors: K
authors: Nakamura
authors: Rie
authors: R
authors: Kurabayashi
authors: Mitsuhiko
authors: M
authors: Kashio
authors: Junko
authors: J
authors: Aida
authors: Steven S S
authors: SS
authors: Poon
authors: Michio
authors: M
authors: Kaminishi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000705:Anaphase / Q000235:genetics; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002503:Centromere / Q000473:pathology; D043171:Chromosomal Instability / Q000235:genetics; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004947:Esophagus / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000473:pathology; D016615:Telomere / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor