Premium
The significant role of telomerase activity in human brain tumors
Author(s) -
Nakatani Kei,
Yoshimi Naoki,
Mori Hideki,
Yoshimura Shinichi,
Sakai Hideki,
Shinoda Jun,
Sakai Noboru
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-0142(19970801)80:3<471::aid-cncr15>3.0.co;2-u
Subject(s) - telomerase , medicine , anaplastic astrocytoma , malignancy , brain tumor , telomere , pathology , tumor progression , cancer , glioblastoma , cancer research , astrocytoma , biology , gene , biochemistry
BACKGROUND In this study, telomerase activity in human brain tumors was analyzed. METHODS Telomerase activity was examined in 41 brain tumor cases (20 of glioblastoma multiformes [GBMs] [14 primary tumors and 6 recurrent tumors], 3 anaplastic astrocytomas [AAs], 4 low grade astrocytomas [LGAs] [World Health Organization Grade 2], 2 oligodendrogliomas [OGs], 9 meningiomas [MNs], and 3 metastatic brain tumors [MBTs]) by means of telomeric repeat amplification protocol assay. The activity of telomerase was compared with histologic diagnosis, the MIB‐1 proliferative cell index (PCI), and the patient's prognosis. RESULTS Twelve of 20 GBMs, 2 of 2 OGs, and 3 of 3 MBTs demonstrated telomerase activity. AAs, LGAs, and MNs exhibited no activity. No clear correlations were confirmed in GBMs between telomerase activity and the MIB‐1 PCI data. However, the telomerase activity tended to correlate with the patient's prognosis. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that telomerase activity may be an important marker of brain tumor malignancy. Furthermore, the change from negative activity to positive activity in the recurrent tumors appeared to be a useful prognosticator for malignant astrocytic tumor. Cancer 1997; 80:471‐6. © 1997 American Cancer Society.