干扰素-α联合高三尖杉酯碱下调K562细胞端粒酶逆转录酶及端粒酶活性诱导细胞凋亡

目的：研究干扰素-α(IFN-α)联合高三尖杉酯碱(HHT)对K562细胞端粒酶逆转录酶及端粒酶的作用，并探讨其与细胞凋亡的关系。方法:IFN-α、HHT以及两药联合作用K562细胞后用MTT法检测细胞增殖，吉姆萨-瑞氏染色观察细胞形态，PI-Annexin VFITC双染色、流式细胞仪检测细胞凋亡,Krupp改良的荧光素标记的端粒重复扩增方法(TRAP)检测K562细胞端粒酶活性，RT-PCR方法检测hTERT mRNA表达变化。结果:5×106U·L-1 IFN-α分别联合5-40 μg·L-1 HHT诱导K562细胞凋亡从而抑制其生长，单用HHT时IC50为27.35 μg·L-1，联用5×106 U·L-1 IFN-α后IC50降为18.72 μg·L-1；IFN-α与HHT联用明显下调hTERT mRNA表达并抑制K562细胞的端粒酶活性。结论：IFN-α联合HHT可以诱导细胞凋亡，这可能与下调细胞hTERT mRNA的表达水平，抑制端粒酶活性有关。两药联合作用强于单独用药，提示临床IFN-α联合HHT治疗慢性髓细胞白血病（CML）可能比单用HHT效果更好。     

Human telomerase catalytic subunit gene re-expression is an early event in oral carcinogenesis

AIMS: Detection of telomerase catalytic subunit (hTERT) mRNA has been used as a surrogate marker for estimation of telomerase activity. The exact role and timing of telomerase re-activation, a key enzyme implicated in cellular immortalization and transformation, in the multistep process of oral carcinogenesis is still unknown. The aim was to test the hypothesis that (i) quantitative rather than qualitative differences exist in the level of hTERT mRNA expression between normal oral mucosa, different grades of oral epithelial abnormalities and squamous cell carcinomas of the oral cavity, and that (ii) hTERT gene re-expression is an important, probably early event in oral carcinogenesis. METHODS AND RESULTS: The relative quantity of hTERT mRNA was analysed in 45 frozen oral epithelia representing different morphological stages of oral carcinogenesis classified according to the Ljubljana classification and in 37 oral squamous cell carcinomas, using a commercially available LightCycler Telo TAGGG hTERT Quantification kit. hTERT mRNA was not detected in normal or reactive hyperplastic oral epithelia, but was present in 43% of atypical hyperplasias (premalignant lesions), 60% of intraepithelial carcinomas and 68% of oral squamous cell carcinomas. Statistical analysis revealed two groups of oral epithelial changes, with significant differences in the levels of hTERT mRNA expression: 1, normal and reactive hyperplastic oral epithelium, and 2, atypical hyperplasia, intraepithelial carcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that hTERT gene re-expression represents an early event in the multistep process of oral carcinogenesis, already detectable at the stage of precancerous oral epithelial changes. Nevertheless, other genetic aberrations appear to be necessary for progression of oral epithelial abnormalities towards invasive squamous cell carcinoma.     

Telomerase activity and hTERT mRNA in development and progression of adenoma to colorectal cancer

Telomerase activity and hTERT mRNA expression are upregulated in colorectal cancer. Whether they are inherent in colorectal adenomas, premalignant lesions to cancer, however, remains to be elucidated. We examined telomerase activity by the fluorescence-based telomeric repeat amplification protocol method and analyzed the level of hTERT mRNA by real-time polymerase chain reaction in 74 surgically obtained neoplasms from 29 patients. The specimens were divided into 6 categories according to the criteria of the Vienna Classification. The control comprising 29 non-pathological mucosa were classified into category 1, 6 adenomas indefinite for neoplasia into category 2, 21 non-invasive low grade adenomas into category 3, 23 high grade adenomas or non-invasive carcinomas into category 4, and 15 intramucosal or submucosal carcinomas into category 5. Carcinoma invading beyond the submucosa (9 samples) was referentially subdivided into category 6. Telomerase activity (mean +/- standard error) in 1 categories to 6 were 5.0+/-1.2, 1.8+/-1.7, 4.3+/-1.6, 20.2+/-2.1, 36.4+/-5.5, and 55.5+/-8.2 units/microg protein, respectively. There were no statistical differences between categories 1 and 2, 1 and 3, and 2 and 3. A significant statistical difference in the other two was observed by the multiple comparison test. The mean levels of hTERT mRNA was 103.1+/-102.4, 103.6+/-103.0, 103.6+/-102.9, 103.7+/-102.9, 104.0+/-103.4, and 104.4+/-104.0 copies/microg total RNA, respectively. There was a significant statistical difference only between category 6 and each of the other categories. These results suggest that telomerase activation occurs during the progression from low-grade to high-grade dysplasia in adenomas and increases steadily with the progression of the degree of dysplasia and invasion during colorectal carcinogenesis, and that hTERT mRNA expression is a feature of the late stage development of colorectal cancer.     

hTERT基因反义核酸对Jurkat细胞端粒酶活性影响

目的:检测hTERT基因反义核酸对Jurkat细胞端粒酶活性的影响及其机制。方法:TRAP法检测端粒酶活性,流式细胞仪检测hTERT蛋白表达,逆转录-多聚酶链式反应检测hTERTmRNA表达。结果:检测端粒酶活性,Jurkat细胞吸光度A值为0.492±0.051,hTERT反义核酸作用48hA值降为0.351±0.051,hTERT反义核酸作用72hA值降为0.238±0.024;检测hTERT蛋白表达,Jurkat细胞hTERT蛋白阳性率89.513%±3.389%,hTERT反义核酸作用48hhTERT蛋白阳性率低至77.237%±2.872%,hTERT反义核酸作用72hhTERT蛋白阳性率低至47.767%±1.326%。而hTERT正义核酸无上述作用。hTERT反义核酸作用Jurkat细胞48h、72h对hTERTmRNA表达无影响。结论:hTERT反义核酸降低Jurkat细胞端粒酶活性,机制可能是降低hTERT蛋白表达量,对hTERTmRNA无影响。     

Expression of the angiopoietins and their receptor Tie2 in human renal clear cell carcinomas; regulation by the von Hippel-Lindau gene and hypoxia

Angiogenesis is essential for tumour growth and metastasis, and is co-ordinated by several classes of angiogenic factors. To determine the significance and regulation of the angiopoietin (Ang) pathway in highly vascular human renal cell carcinomas (RCCs), this study has investigated the expression of the Ang-1, Ang-2, Ang-4, and Tie2 genes in a series of normal (n = 26) and neoplastic (n = 45; clear cell n = 35, papillary n = 10) human kidney tissues, examined the pattern of Ang-2 and Tie2 protein expression, and correlated expression with clinicopathological variables. The effect of the von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) gene and hypoxia in the renal cell lines RCC786-0 and RCC4 has also been investigated. Ang-1, Ang-2 and Tie2, but not Ang-4 mRNA, were detected in normal and tumour samples. A significant increase in Ang-2 (p < 0.001) and a decrease in Tie2 receptor mRNA (p = 0.001) were observed, but no significant difference was observed in Ang-1 mRNA abundance between normal kidney and RCC (p = 0.37). Immunohistochemistry for Ang-2 showed strong expression in vascular endothelium and weak expression in tumour cells, whereas Tie2 was expressed exclusively on endothelium. Tie2 gene expression was positively correlated with Ang-2 expression in cancers (p = 0.001) and showed a borderline significant association with Ang-1 (p = 0.06), but there was no significant relationship between Ang-1 and Ang-2 (p = 0.69). No significant relationships were observed in clear cell carcinomas between Ang-1, Ang-2 and Tie2 mRNA abundance and patient sex, patient age, or tumour size (p > 0.05). However, there was significantly greater Ang-1 (p = 0.02), Ang-2 (p = 0.03), and Tie2 (p = 0.04) mRNA abundance in clear cell than in chromophil RCCs. Ang-2 gene expression was down-regulated by hypoxia in VHL wild-type RCC786-0 and RCC4 transfectants (p = 0.0002 and p = 0.04, respectively), mirroring the low expression in human tumour cells. These data suggest that it is endothelial induction of Ang-2 in tumours that regulates vessel stability and supports targeting Tie2 as an effective novel anti-angiogenic therapy in clear cell RCCs.     

Function of HSP90 and p23 in the telomerase complex of thyroid tumors

Recently, studies on endocrine tumors revealed a potential role of telomerase in the dedifferentiation and/or malignant transition of these tumors. Telomerase is a ribonucleoprotein complex that includes the telomerase RNA component (hTR), the telomerase-associated protein (TP1), and the telomerase catalytic subunit (hTERT). Previously, the chaperones p23 and HSP90 have been described as additional telomerase regulators. To test whether the interactions of these genes are reflected in the dedifferentiation of thyroid tumors, we determined their mRNA and/or protein expression in 30 normal (tumor-free) thyroid tissues (NT), 35 follicular adenomas (FAD), 42 papillary carcinomas (PTC), 38 follicular carcinomas (FTC), 25 poorly differentiated carcinomas (PDTC), and 34 undifferentiated carcinomas (UTC). We then compared the results with telomerase activity. RT-PCR analysis revealed that TP1 was ubiquitously expressed. hTR was found in 50-94% of malignant tumors, in contrast to 7% of NT and 26% of FAD. hTERT was clearly associated with aggressive biological behavior. Ninety-two to 100% of the malignant tumors were positive for hTERT protein, whereas NT and FAD were negative in 100% and 94%, respectively. HSP90 mRNA and protein showed a close relationship to hTERT. p23 protein was negative in NT and positive in 3% of FAD, 39% of FTC, 40% of PTC, 44% of PDTC and 47% of UTC. High telomerase activity was measurable in hTERT and HSP90-positive tissues only. Our data show that the common expression of hTERT and HSP90 regulates telomerase activity in thyroid carcinomas. Chaperone p23 is involved in the telomeric complex to a lesser extent, but its expression is stronger in carcinomas than in non-malignant thyroid tissues. The expression profile of telomerase components represents an additional prognostic marker that may identify more aggressive thyroid tumors.