Quantitative Expression Of HTERT MRNA In NSCLC And Its Relation With That Of COX-2 Gene

Objective: To investigate the expression of hTERT mRNA in human non small-cell lung cancer(NSCLC) and its relation with that of COX-2 gene and to discuss the possible modulation mechanism of activating hTERT.Methods: hTERT mRNA expression was detected by quantitative reverse transcription - polymerase chain reaction ( RT-qPCR); The COX-2 gene protein expression was detected by immunohisto-chemistry.The correlation analysis was used to estimate whether there was an interrelation between them.Results: 1.hTERT mRNA from NSCLC and normal lung tissue were 2.854±0.728 and 2.042±0.378, respectively (t = - 4.807, P < 0.01).2.There was no significant association between non-small cell lung cancer hTERT mRNA expression level and patient's gender , Smoking history, degree of differentiation , pathological stages and lymph node metastasis. There was a significant correlation between hTERT mRNA expression level and the histological in non-small cell lung cancer (P<0.05).3.Expression of COX-2 gene protein was observed in 62.2% of non-small cell lung cancer tissues,while 9. 5% of normal tissues showed COX-2 gene protein expression (P<0.01).4.Correlation analysis revealed that expression of hTERT was significantly related to that of COX-2 (Correlation coefficient r=0.465 , P<0.01) .what's more, at the stage II,IIIandIV, Correlation analysis also revealed that expression of COX-2 was significantly related to that of hTERT (Correlation coefficient r=0.447, P<0.01).Conclusion: 1.hTERT mRNA overexpression might contribute to the progression of non-small cell lung cancer,quantitative determination of hTERT mRNA may have potential as a biomarker for the detection of non-small cell lung cancer.2.The significant correlation between the expression of hTERT and COX-2 indicates that one of the approaches of hTERT activation and up-regulation may be conferred by overexprssion of COX-2.