Analysis of telomerase activity and telomere length in various liver diseases

端粒是一种位于染色体末端的重复序列，在细胞分裂和端粒酶活性过程中缩短，可以恢复端粒阵列的长度，使细胞永生，在各种恶性肿瘤中经常被检测到。用TRAP法检测了26例肝细胞癌及相应的非肿瘤组织和20例无肿瘤的慢性肝炎组织的端粒酶活性。26个肿瘤组织中有22个（85%）存在端粒酶活性，26个相应的非肿瘤组织中有3个（12%）存在端粒酶活性，20个慢性肝炎组织中有1个（5%）存在端粒酶活性。在肿瘤组织中检测端粒酶活性，无论肿瘤大小或肿瘤分化程度如何，我们进一步定量分析了超声引导下肝活检28例小肝细胞癌的端粒酶活性。25例肿瘤、3例交界性病变和28例相应的非肿瘤组织的端粒酶活性平均值分别为133.7(]SY.+- .[)197.3任意单位（AU）、11.7(]SY.+- . [)11.3 AU和4.5(]SY.+- . [)7.5 AU。25例肿瘤组织中19例（76%）和3例交界性病变中1例（33%）显示端粒酶活性超过19.5 AU，平均值加非肿瘤组织活性标准差的两倍，而28例非肿瘤组织中只有1例（4%）端粒酶活性超过19.5 AU。端粒酶活性在大多数小肝癌中被强烈检测到，而在大多数非肿瘤标本中几乎没有或微弱的活性被检测到。端粒酶活性的定量测定被认为对小肝癌的诊断有重要意义。

Telomere, a repititive sequence which resides in the end of chromosomes, shortens during cell division and telomerase activity, which can restore the length of telomere array and immortalize the cell, has been frequently detectable in various malignant tumors. We examined the telomerase activity in 26 hepatocellular carcinomas together with corresponding nontumorous tissues and 20 chronic hepatitis tissues without tumors by TRAP assay. Telomerase activity was found in 22 (85%) of 26 tumor tissues, in 3 (12%) of 26 corresponding nontumorous tissues and in one (5%) of 20 chronic hepatitis tissues. Telomerase activity was detected in tumorous tissues irrespective of the tumor size or the degree of tumor differentiation and we further analyzed quantitatively the telomerase activity in 28 small hepatocellular carcinomas obtained by ultrasonography guided liver biopsy. The mean telomerase activity in 25 tumors, in 3 borderline lesions and in 28 corresponding nontumorous tissues was 133.7(]SY.+-。[)197.3 arbitrary units (AU) , 11.7(]SY.+-。[)11.3 AU and 4.5(]SY.+-。[)7.5 AU,respectively. Nineteen (76%) of 25 tumorous tissues and one (33%) of 3 borderline lesions showed the telomerase activity over 19.5 AU,the mean value plus twice the standard deviation of the activity in nontumorous tissues, in contrast only one (4%) of 28 nontumorous tissues. The telomerase activity was strongly detected in a majority of small hepatocellular carcinoma, while almost no or faint activity was detectable in a majority of nontumorous specimens. The quantitative assay of telomerase activity was considered to be useful in the diagnosis of small hepatocellular carcinoma.