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Expression of the RNA component of human telemorase (hTR) in ThinPrep® preparations from bladder washings
Author(s) -
Maitra Anirban,
Rathi Asha,
Gazdar Adi F.,
Sagalowsky Arthur,
Ashfaq Raheela
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
cancer cytopathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0142(20010225)93:1<73::aid-cncr9010>3.0.co;2-i
Subject(s) - in situ hybridization , pathology , telomerase , medicine , histology , urothelium , concordance , bladder cancer , urothelial cancer , rna , urinary bladder , gene expression , cancer , biology , gene , biochemistry
BACKGROUND The enzyme telomerase is associated with cellular immortality and is expressed in the vast majority of human neoplasms. The expression of the RNA component of human telomerase (hTR) shows excellent concordance with enzyme activity. METHODS In this study, hTR expression was analyzed in a series of 18 perioperative bladder washings and compared with histologic diagnoses from material obtained in the same setting. The hTR expression analysis used an 35 S‐based in‐situ hybridization assay. ThinPrep® preparations fixed in PreservCyt® solution (Cytyc Corporation, Boxborough, MA) were hybridized with sense and antisense hTR probes. A 1–4+ grading scheme was used, with appropriate positive and negative controls. RESULTS Five of six (83%) lesions with benign histology had hTR expression that was 2+ or less in the exfoliated urothelial cells. In contrast, 11 of 12 (93%) lesions with malignant histology had an hTR expression that was focally 3+ or more, with 7 of 12 (58%) lesions having 4+ hTR expression in at least some urothelial clusters. Although increased hTR expression was present in smears with malignant urothelial cells, a similar trend was not seen with muscularis propria invasion or higher grades of TCC on subsequent histology. CONCLUSIONS The use of in situ hybridization technique bypasses the need for stringent specimen processing and allows identification of the specific cell type that expresses telomerase. Cancer (Cancer Cytopathol) 2001;93:73–79. © 2001 American Cancer Society.