[Telomerase expression in tarsal gland carcinoma].

Objective: To investigate the roles of telomerase activity (TA) and human telomerase RNA (hTR) in tarsal gland carcinoma.

Methods: The telomerase repeated amplification protocol (TRAP) was used to demonstrate telomerase activity in 12 tarsal gland carcinomas. In situ hybridization (ISH) was used to demonstrate the expression of hTR in 55 cases of paraffin-embedded tarsal gland carcinoma, and the results were compared with the proliferative index determined by Mib-1 immunolabeling, histological patterns and recurrence of the tumor.

Results: The telomerase activity was revealed in 12 tarsal gland carcinomas with different degrees. The positive expression of hTR was 85.5% (47/55) and observed in tumor cells, but not in the adjacent tissues. The expression of hTR was correlated with the proliferative activity (as assessed by Mib-1 immunolabelling, r = 0.942, P < 0.001) and the differentiation of tarsal gland carcinoma (chi(2) = 17.621, P < 0.001), but no significant relationship with tumor recurrence. The level of hTR expression had a gradually raised tendency along with the decrease of differentiation of tarsal gland carcinoma.

Conclusion: The results suggest that up-regulation of telomerase expression play some roles in tarsal gland carcinogenesis, and the expression of hTR be a useful marker for malignant degree of tarsal gland carcinoma.