Expression of telomerase RNA, telomerase activity, and telomere length in human gliomas

Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1997 Oct 29;239(3):830-4. doi: 10.1006/bbrc.1997.7562.

Abstract

To understand the mechanisms of telomere maintenance in human gliomas, telomerase activity, telomerase RNA expression and telomere length of surgically excised glioma samples were analyzed. Sixty-five percent of gliomas exhibited telomerase activity, the occurrence of which was not related to their histological malignancy scale. Not only the telomerase-positive gliomas, but also the telomerase-negative gliomas and normal brain expressed telomerase RNA, suggesting that the presence of telomerase RNA component does not indicate the presence of telomerase activity. Compared with telomerase-positive gliomas, telomerase-negative gliomas had long heterogeneous telomeric terminal restriction fragments. These data suggest that in addition to the telomerase-dependent mechanism, a telomerase-independent mechanism for telomere maintenance may be present in human gliomas.

MeSH terms

  • Astrocytoma / enzymology*
  • Astrocytoma / genetics
  • Blotting, Southern
  • Brain Neoplasms / enzymology*
  • Brain Neoplasms / genetics
  • Enzyme Activation / genetics
  • Glioblastoma / enzymology*
  • Glioblastoma / genetics
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • RNA, Neoplasm / biosynthesis*
  • Telomerase / biosynthesis
  • Telomerase / genetics*
  • Telomerase / metabolism
  • Telomere / chemistry*
  • Telomere / enzymology
  • Telomere / genetics

Substances

  • RNA, Neoplasm
  • Telomerase