Clinical Significance And Amplification Of Telomerase RNA Compenent Gene In Cytologic Specimens Of Cervix

Objective: To investigate the clinical significance and amplification of the human telomerase compenent (hTERC) gene in the cytologic specimens of cervix. Methods: The fluorescence signal of 120 cases cytologic samples of cervix were detected by using Interphase FISH in chromosome enumeration double-color DNA probes TERC. 60 cases of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and 40 cases of squamous cell carcinomas were determined for HPVDNA by the channelization hybridization genechip. Results: (1) in cytological examination: the amplication rates of hTERC in the normal sample were 0%, while 11.1% of the atypical squamous cell of unde-termined significance, 33.3% of the low-grade squamous intraepithelial, 77.8% of the high-grade squamous intraepithelial and 100% of the squamous cell carcinoma showed that extra copies of 3q.TERC copy numbers in HSIL and SCC were significantly higher than that in normal cell, ASCUS and LSIL, and the overall amplification rates of hTERC among groups have statistically significant(P<0.05). (2) in histology biopsy: the amplication rates of hTERC in the cervical intraepithelial neoplasiaâ… lesions were 30%, while 67.5% of the cervical intraepithelial neoplasiaâ…¡/â…¢lesions and 92.5% of the squamous cervical cancer showed that extra copies of 3q. TERC copy numbers in CINâ…¡/â…¢were significantly higher than that in CINâ… . The percentage of multiple 3q signals increased with the severity of the cytologic interpretation, the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). (3) we observed the types of 3q. TERC copy numbers in the cytologic specimens of cervix of normal sample were 2:2, the types of 3q. TERC copy numbers were 2:3,2:4,2:5,3:3,2:6,4:4 in the CIN and SCC. (4) The amplification rates of hTERC in Han women of CIN were 42.9%, and 52.0% of Uygur women, the two groups without significant difference in statistics(P>0.05). (5) The amplification rates of hTERC in Han women of SCC were 87.5%, and 95.6% of Uygur women, the two groups without significant difference in statistics(P>0.05). (6) The positive rates of hTERC amplification were correlated to the rates of HPV infection in the cytologic specimens of CIN and SCC (r= 0.814, P=0.001). Conclusions: (1) The amplication of hTERC in the squmous cervical cancer and CIN suggests that 3q copy numbers are associated with the severity of cytologic and histologic findings. Therefore, application of the probe set may provide an objective genetic test for the assessment of cells in Pap smears and serves as ascreening test marker for HSIL or CINâ…¡/â…¢which may help to determine the progressive potential of individual lesions. (2) There is no difference of the hTERC amplification in Han women patients and Uygur women patients. (3) There are close relations betweem hTERC amplification and HPV infection in CIN and SCC.