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HTERT Expression in Melanocytic Lesions: An Immunohistochemical Study on Paraffin‐Embedded Tissues
Author(s) -
Zhu W.,
Su L.,
Thomas D.,
Fullen D.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
journal of cutaneous pathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.597
H-Index - 75
eISSN - 1600-0560
pISSN - 0303-6987
DOI - 10.1111/j.0303-6987.2005.320id.x
Subject(s) - telomerase , telomerase reverse transcriptase , pathology , immunohistochemistry , melanoma , staining , nevus , melanocytic nevus , carcinogenesis , medicine , in situ hybridization , biology , cancer research , cancer , gene expression , biochemistry , gene
Telomerase plays a role in the immortalization of cells and carcinogenesis. Previous studies have yielded conflicting results on whether human telomerase RNA (hTER) expression differs in nevi, atypical nevi and melanomas using PCR‐based telomeric repeat amplification protocol (TRAP) or in situ hybridization assays. The aim of this study was to evaluate human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) staining in melanocytic lesions on paraffin‐embedded tissues. Paraffin‐embedded sections from 6 acquired nevi, 4 dysplastic nevi, 5 Spitz nevi, 6 primary invasive melanomas, and 3 metastatic melanomas, were studied for staining intensity (0–3+) and % of labeled cells with anti‐hTERT. HTERT staining was observed in most cells (>75%) in all lesions, and was of greater intensity in the nucleus, especially the nucleolus, compared to the cytoplasm. Spitz nevi tended to have weaker hTERT staining (mean = 1.2) compared to acquired nevi (mean = 2.0), dysplastic nevi (mean = 2.5), primary melanoma (mean = 2.17), or metastatic melanoma (mean = 3). Although telomerase activity was weaker in Spitz nevi, there was overlap with other nevi and primary invasive melanomas in our small series. Thus, hTERT expression does not appear to be a reliable adjunct to the histological diagnosis of primary melanocytic lesions.