Related Experiment Videos
Detection of telomerase activity in biopsy samples of colorectal cancer
1Department of Gastroenterology, Third Military Medical University, Southwest Hospital, Chongqing, China.
Background:
Telomerase is a ribonucleoprotein that synthesizes telomeric DNA onto chromosomal ends. The expression of telomerase is thought to be required for cellular immortality and oncogenesis.
Methods:
To investigate the role of telomerase in the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer, we analysed telomerase activity in biopsy samples of colorectal cancer and colonic adenomas. Using a polymerase chain reaction-based assay, we examined telomerase activity in 52 samples of colorectal cancer, 12 colonic adenomas and 30 normal colonic mucosa samples obtained by endoscopic biopsy.
Results:
Telomerase activity was detectable in 88.5% (46/52) of colorectal carcinomas, in 50% (6/12) of colonic adenomas but not in normal colorectal mucosa. There was no correlation between telomerase activity and tumour location, type, size and differentiation (P > 0.05).
Conclusions:
It was concluded that telomerase activation plays a role in the evolution of colorectal cancer, and that measurement of telomerase activity in biopsied colorectal mucosa samples may provide information both as a diagnostic marker to detect small numbers of cancer cells, and as a screening method for patients at high risk for colorectal carcinoma.