Carcinogenesis, Teratogenesis & Mutagenesis ›› 2001, Vol. 13 ›› Issue (3): 137-140.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1004-616x.2001.03.001

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TELOMERE LENGTH AND TELOMERASE ACTIVITY IN IMMORTALIZED AND MALIGNANTLY TRANSFORMED HUMAN EMBRYONIC ESOPHAGEAL EPITHELIAL CELL LINES BY E6 AND E7 GENES OF HPV 18 TYPE

XU Li-yan, SHEN Zhong-ying, LI En-min, etal .   

  1. Pathological Department, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515031, China
  • Received:2000-09-03 Revised:2001-04-06 Online:2001-07-30 Published:2001-07-30

Abstract: Purpose : To study the relationship of the telomere length and telomerase activity to immortalization or malignant t ransformation of the immortalized esophageal epithelial cell line (SHEE) and malignantly t ransformed cell line (SHEEC) induced by E6 and E7 genes of HPV 18 type. Methods : Using SHEE and SHEEC cell lines , the telomere length (mean length of telomere rest riction f ragment s , TRF) was examined by Southern blotting , the telomerase activity by the PCR2based telomeric repeat amplification protocol ( TRAP) and the expression of human telomerase reverse t ranscriptase ( hTERT) and human telomerase RNA ( hTR) by reverse t ranscription polymerase chain reaction(RT - PCR) . Results : The telomere length in the SHEE and SHEEC was significantly shorter than that in the normal esophageal epithelial tissue , but maintained a stable length. The telomerase activity and it s subunit hTERT and hTR were observed in the SHEE and SHEEC. Conclusion : A possible cause of stable division of SHEE and SHEEC is telomerase reactivitied , which maintains the telomere at a shortened and stable length.

Key words: telomere length, telomerase, esophageal cancer cell line, malignant t ransformation, immotalization

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