目的探讨骨肉瘤组织中端粒酶hTERT基因的表达及意义。方法应用原位分子杂交技术,对52例骨肉瘤组织、17例骨质增生骨组织、11例异位骨化组织和10例正常骨组织中端粒酶hTERT基因进行检测和定位,并运用图像分析系统对hTERT基因表达水平进行研究。结果端粒酶hTERT基因在骨肉瘤组织中表达阳性率为82.7%(43/52),表达强度与肿瘤细胞的分化程度无明显相关(P〉0.05)。端粒酶hTERT基因细胞表达水平与肿瘤细胞的分布定位一致。在骨质增生骨组织、异位骨化组织和正常骨组织中端粒酶hTERT基因的表达均为阴性。结论原位分子杂交是检测端粒酶亚单位hTERT的有效方法,在骨肉瘤细胞水平检测端粒酶hTERT基因的定位诊断具有重要意义。在骨肉瘤发展和维持中端粒酶可能起到重要的作用,同时还可能存在端粒酶以外的机制导致肿瘤细胞永生化。
Objective To study the expression of hTERT gene in osteosarcoma and its significance.Methods Using in situ hybridization(ISH)techniques,the expression of telomerase gene hTERT mRNA in 52 cases of osteosarcoma,17 cases of hyperostosis,11 cases of heterotopic ossification,and 10 normal bone tissues was detected.Results The positive expression rate of hTERT in osteosarcomas was 82.7%(43/52),and its intensity had no obvious correlation with the differentiation of tumor cells(P〉0.05).There was a positive correlation between the expression of hTERT and the location of tumor cells.In 17 cases of hyperostosis,11 cases of heterotopic ossification,and 10 normal bone tissues,telomerase hTERT was not detected.Conclusion ISH was an effective method to detect hTERT.The detection of hTERT was valuable for clinical diagnosis of osteosarcoma.Telomerase may play an important role in the development of osteosarcoma,and there maybe also have some other mechanisms to result in immortalization of tumor cells.