The Relationship And Expression Between Telomerase Reverse Transcriptase And C-myc Gene Protein In Vulvar Dystrophy And Squamous Cell Carcinoma Of Vulva

Aim: Telomerase reverse transcriptase(TERT) gene which recently cloned, is regarded as one of key and important factors which depend on activity of telomerase. c-myc is one of important factors in myc carcinoma gene family which is intensively related to growth, differentiation, apoptosis of cell and with the oncogenesis and progression of carcinoma. The aim of experiment is to investigate the relationship and expression between telomerase reverse transcriptase and c-myc gene protein in vulvar dystrophy and squamous cell carcinoma of vulva.Methods: 80 cases of vulvar dystrophy, 33 cases of squamous cell carcinoma of vulva and 23 cases of normal skin were detected by the in situ hybridization technique (TERT) and immunohistochemical technique (SABC method).Results: c-myc gene protein was mainly distributed in the cell nucleus in normal tissue and in the cell cytoplasm in hyperplasia type, atypical hyperplasia and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of vulva, x2 test showed significant difference between the SCC of vulva and the benign pathological changes except the atypical hyperplasia (P<0.05). The positive rates of TERT in SCC of vulva were significantly higher than that of types of vulvar dystrophy and normal skin (P<0.01). But the expression of c-myc gene protein and TERT showed no significant difference between different grades of SCC of vulva (P>0.05). The positive case of c-myc gene protein in 20 positive casesof TERT in vulvar dystrophy was 17. But only 17 cases of c-myc gene protein were detected in 60 cases of TERT negative group. There was the significant difference between the TERT positive group and the negative group (P<0.005).Conclusion: Expression and distribution of c-myc gene protein might be correlated with the types of vulvar dystrophy. Expression of TERT might indirectly reflect the telomerase activity. The activity of TERT was related to the expression of c-myc gene protein. Expression of c-Myc induced transcription of TERT leading to telomerase activation. The aberrant expression of TERT upregulated by overexpressed c-myc gene protein was closely related to the oncogenesis of vulvar dystrophy and squamous cell carcinoma of vulva.