Expression And Regulation Of Telomerase Reverse Transcriptase (hTERT) In Human Lymphocytes From Normal Individuals

Objective: To detect the relative levels of expression of hTERT in lymphocytes obtained from normal individuals and the different levels of hTERT before and after the stimulation of pyhtohemagglutinin (PHA).And to know whether there exists any relationship between the levels of hTERT and age, the change of the levels of hTERT during lymphocytes activation and the capability of lymphocytes to the simulation in older people.Method: The relative level of expression of hTERT in peripheral lymphocytes was detected by the method of reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR)and imagequant software. One hundred and five normal individuals older than 20-years-old were included. Among them 20 cases were cultured in 1640-20% fetal calf serum containing 0.5% PHA for 48 hours.Result: l)There was no significent relationship between the levels of hTERT and age. 2)The relative levels of hTERT before the stimulation of PHA was 0.575 ?0.231,and the levels of hTERT after the stimulation of PHA was 0.9305 ?0.342.The difference between two groups was obvious.(P<0.05)3)The of hTERT after stimulation in people older than 60-years-old wasl 676 ?0.244 , and in people younger than 60-years-old was 1.671 ?0.215. There was no significent difference(P>0.05).Conclusion: l)There was no significent difference between the level of expression of hTERT and age. It is suggested that telomerase regulation may be related to both transcriptional and posttranscriptional factors.2)The levels of expression of hTERT were elevated after the stimulation of PHA. 3)No age-related alteration of hTERT induction in lymphocytes after short term stimulation was observed.