Telomerase activity in human benign prostate tissue and prostatic adenocarcinomas

Telomerase adds a hexanucleotide telomeric sequence to the chromosomal ends during replication and is postulated to play a role in cellular senescence and immortalization. Thirty-four human prostate tissues (18 malignant; 16 benign) were analyzed for telomerase activity by a sensitive nonradioactive...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inDiagnostic molecular pathology Vol. 6; no. 4; p. 192
Main Authors Kallakury, B V, Brien, T P, Lowry, C V, Muraca, P J, Fisher, H A, Kaufman, Jr, R P, Ross, J S
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 01.08.1997
Subjects
Adenocarcinoma - enzymology
Adenocarcinoma - pathology
Aged
Biomarkers, Tumor - metabolism
DNA, Neoplasm - analysis
Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Neoplasm Staging
Polymerase Chain Reaction
Prostate - enzymology
Prostate - pathology
Prostatic Neoplasms - enzymology
Prostatic Neoplasms - pathology
Telomerase - metabolism
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Summary:Telomerase adds a hexanucleotide telomeric sequence to the chromosomal ends during replication and is postulated to play a role in cellular senescence and immortalization. Thirty-four human prostate tissues (18 malignant; 16 benign) were analyzed for telomerase activity by a sensitive nonradioactive polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based method using the TRAP-eze telomerase detection kit (Oncor, Inc., Gaithersburg, MD). Telomerase activity in the homogenized tissue extracts was correlated with tumor grade, pathologic stage, and DNA ploidy. Specimens that exhibited the 36 bp internal control band and a ladder of products with 6-base increments starting with 50 nucleotides were considered positive. Fourteen (78%) of 18 prostatic adenocarcinomas (PACs) and only 2 (13%) of 16 benign prostate tissues exhibited telomerase activity. Our results indicate that, in contrast to most benign prostate tissues, telomerase activity can be detected in the majority of PACs and appears to be independent of tumor grade, stage, or DNA ploidy. Telomerase expression is occasionally detected in benign prostatic tissues bordering PACs and may result from either the presence of undetected tumor foci in these stored specimens or the proliferative response of the benign elements to adjacent cancer.
ISSN:1052-9551
DOI:10.1097/00019606-199708000-00003