Objective: Telomerase is a ribonucleoprotein enzyme which synthesizes telomere DNA repeat sequences and maintain stably telomere length. The activity of telomerase may be necessary for the growth of immortalized cells overcoming cellular senescence. The researches have shown that telomerase activities are associated with most cancers. The purpose of the study is to detect the development of telomerase activity during golden hamster cheek pouch carcinogenesis induced by DMBA.
Methods: First, 52 golden hamsters were divided into 2 groups. Four of them were not done any special treatment and were killed after 3 days. The others were covered with DMBA on the surface of cheek pouch on one side in order to induce carcinogenesis, the other side of cheek pouch was treated as the control. Then, the 48 golden hamsters were divided into 4 groups and were killed in 7, 10, 14 and 20 weeks. The telomeric repeat amplification protocol (TRAP) based on PCR and ELISA was used to analysis the activity of telomerase.
Results: 1. The expression of telomerase activity existed in normal cheek pouch mucosa of golden hamsters, which meant that telomerase played an important role on controlling cell proliferation. 2. The level of telomerase activity gradually increased while hyperplasia and dysplasia was observed in the cheek pouch mucosa covered with DMBA. It reached its top at a later premalignant period and gradually decreased after that. 3. There was negative correlation between the degree the telomere length was shortened and the activity of telomerase (r = -0.9654), and there was positive correlation between the reduced rate of telomere length and the activity of telomerase (r = 0.9471).
Conclusion: The activity of telomerase is one of important factors that can effect the stability of telomere length and plays a crucial role in the progression of oral cancer. So the activity of telomerase is an early molecular marker of carcinogenesis.