[Quantitation of telomerase activity using the polymerase chain reaction-based enzyme immunoassay and its clinical application].

Objective: To investigate detective methodology of telomerase activity and its clinical application.

Methods: The telomerase activity was quantitated by polymerase chain reaction-base enzyme immunoassay (PCR-EIA). The TS primer was biotinylated (TS-B), and CX primer was digoxigeninated (CX-D). The amplicons containing TS-B were combined with microtiter plate coated streptavidin, then combined with anti-digoxigenin antibody labeled with POD and finally reacted to tetramethylbenzidine substrate solution.

Results: Telomerase activity measured by the PCR-EIA method was comparable to that obtained from TRAP-silver stain protocol. The CV of the PCR-EIA method was 4.138%. Telomerase activity was detected in 90% of various tumer tissues. In control tissues, telomerase activity was detected only in 7.1%.

Conclusion: The PCR-EIA method offers a rapid, quantitative, and nonisotopic assay for the determination of telomerase activity. It is simpler than silver stain protocol. The detection of telomerase activity may play a significant role in the diagnosis of clinical tumors.