Telomerase activity in lung cancer cell lines and tissues

• Published in: Lung cancer (Amsterdam, Netherlands) Vol. 21; no. 2; pp. 99 - 103
• Main Authors: Cheol Lee, Jae, Jong, Hyun-Soon, Yoo, Chul-Gyu, Koo Han, Sung, Shim, Young-Soo, Whan Kim, Young
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shannon Elsevier Ireland Ltd 01-08-1998; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Humans; Lung - enzymology; Lung cancer; Lung Neoplasms - enzymology; Medical sciences; Neoplasm Proteins - metabolism; Pneumology; Reference Values; Telomerase; Telomerase - metabolism; Telomere; TRAP; Tumor Cells, Cultured; Tumors of the respiratory system and mediastinum; TRAP; Telomere; Telomerase; Lung cancer; Human; Lung disease; Cell line; Enzymatic activity; Respiratory disease; Bronchus disease; Exploration; Malignant tumor; Bronchopulmonary
• ISSN: 0169-5002; 1872-8332
• DOI: 10.1016/S0169-5002(98)00034-8

Using TRAP assay, we studied the activity of the telomerase in the lung cancer cell lines, and lung cancer and normal tissues in which expression appears to be related to the immortality of cancer cells. All the human lung cancer cell lines and the majority of human lung cancer tissues (78%) expressed telomerase activity, but this was undetectable in normal human lung tissues. Positivity for telomerase activity in lung cancer cell lines was higher than in lung cancer tissues; this result implies the expression of telomerase activity may play a crucial role in the development or progression of lung cancer, and also suggests that improved method of detection may lead to the higher positivity for telomerase activity in primary lung cancer tissues. To determine whether there is a definite causal relationship between telomerase and cancer, and to develop new anti-cancer agents which inhibit telomerase, further study is needed.