Quantitative fluorescence in situ hybridization for investigation of telomere length dynamics in the pituitary gland using samples from 128 autopsied patients.

In order to investigate the population dynamics of telomere status, we measured the telomere lengths of glandular cells in the adenohypophysis (AH) and pituicytes, a type of glial cell, in the neurohypophysis (NH) of 128 autopsied humans (65 men, 63 women, 0 and 102 years) using our original quantitative fluorescence in situ hybridization (Q-FISH) method. Telomeres in the AH shortened with aging in both men and women, but those of pituicytes did not. Pituicyte telomeres were significantly longer in women than in men.

Gradual telomere shortening and increasing chromosomal instability among PanIN grades and normal ductal epithelia with and without cancer in the pancreas.

A large body of evidence supports a key role for telomere dysfunction in carcinogenesis due to the induction of chromosomal instability. To study telomere shortening in precancerous pancreatic lesions, we measured telomere lengths using quantitative fluorescence in situ hybridization in the normal pancreatic duct epithelium, pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasias (PanINs), and cancers. The materials employed included surgically resected pancreatic specimens without cancer (n = 33) and with invasive ductal carcinoma (n = 36), as well as control autopsy cases (n = 150).

Quantitative fluorescence in situ hybridization measurement of telomere length in skin with/without sun exposure or actinic keratosis.

Chromosomal and genomic instability due to telomere dysfunction is known to play an important role in carcinogenesis. To study telomere shortening in the epidermis surrounding actinic keratosis, we measured telomere lengths of basal, parabasal, and suprabasal cells in epidermis with actinic keratosis (actinic keratosis group, n = 18) and without actinic keratosis (sun-protected, n = 15, and sun-exposed, n = 13 groups) and in actinic keratosis itself as well as in dermal fibroblasts in the 3 groups, using quantitative fluorescence in situ hybridization. Among the 3 cell types, telomeres of basal cells were not always the longest, suggesting that tissue stem cells are not necessarily located among basal cells.