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Updated: Aug 30, 2026
Telomere Length and Telomerase Activity; A Yin and Yang of Cell Senescence
Published on: May 22, 2013
Correlation between expression of human telomerase subunits and telomerase activity in esophageal squamous cell
Chun Li1, Ming-Yao Wu, Ying-Rui Liang
1Department of Pathology, Medical College, Shantou University, Shantou 515031 Guangdong Province, China. chli@stu.edu.cn
Aim:
To investigate telomerase activity and hTERT, TP-1 expression and their relationships in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).
Methods:
Telomerase activity was measured in 60 ESCC tissues using telomeric repeat amplification protocol (TRAP) assay by silver staining. In situ hybridization was used for detecting hTERT and TP-1mRNA.
Results:
The telomerase activity was detected in 83.3% of ESCC tissues. The difference of telomerase activity was significant between well and poorly cancer differentiated lesions (P<0.05). The positive rate of telomerase activity was higher in patients with lymphatic metastasis than in patients without lymphatic metastasis. In cancer tissues hTERT mRNA expression was 75% and TP-1 mRNA expression was 71.7%. The expression of hTERT, TP-1 mRNA in well and poorly differentiated carcinoma was not significant. The expression of hTERT mRNA was correlated with telomerase activity, but TP-1 mRNA expression was not correlated with it.
Conclusion:
Telomerase activity and hTERT, TP-1 mRNA expression are up-regulated in ESCC. Telomerase activity in ESCC is correlated with lymphatic metastasis and cancer differentiation. Telomerase activity may be used as a prognostic marker in ESCC. hTERT mRNA expression is correlated with telomerase activity. Enhanced hTERT mRNA expression may initially comprehend the telomerase activity level, but it is less sensitive than TRAP assay.
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