M. Frost et al., Localization of telomerase hTERT protein and hTR in benign mucosa, dysplasia, and squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix, AM J CLIN P, 114(5), 2000, pp. 726-734
Citations number
32
Categorie Soggetti
Research/Laboratory Medicine & Medical Tecnology","Medical Research Diagnosis & Treatment
Telomerase has been detected by telomerase repeat amplification protocol (T
RAP) assay in cervical dysplasia and squamous cell carcinoma but not in mos
t normal cervical tissues. In the present study: the cellular localization
of the protein catalytic subunit of telomerase (hTERT) and the RNA componen
t (hTR) were investigated by a sensitive immunohistochemical technique and
by in situ hybridization, respectively hTERT protein was detected in all di
agnostic categories of cervical specimens, hTERT was localized predominantl
y to the lower suprabasal levels of normal squamous mucosa but was detected
throughout virtually all levels of the lesional epithelium in low-grade sq
uamous intraepithelial lesions (LSILs), high-grade squamous intraepithelial
lesions (HSILs), and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), Telomerase expression
correlated with hTERT detection in SCC and HSIL but was not detected by TRA
P assay in most samples of normal mucosa or LSIL. The distribution of hTR c
orrelated with the localization of hTERT in HSIL and SCC but was restricted
to the basal and suprabasal cell layers in normal mucosa and LSIL.