Telomerase activation by hTRT in human normal fibroblasts and hepatocellular carcinomas.

Telomerase is a specialized type of reverse transcriptase which catalyzes the synthesis and extension of telomeric DNA (for review, see ref.1). This enzyme is highly active in most cancer cells, but is inactive in most somatic cells. This striking observation led to the suggestion that telomerase might be important for the continued growth or progression of cancer cells. However, little is known about the molecular mechanism of telomerase activation in cancer cells. Human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTRT) has recently been identified as a putative human telomerase catalytic subunit. We transfected the gene encoding hTRT into telomerase-negative human normal fibroblast cells and demonstrated that expression of wild-type hTRT induces telomerase activity, whereas hTRT mutants containing mutations in regions conserved among other reverse transcriptases did not. Hepatocellular carcinoma (20 samples) and non-cancerous liver tissues (19 samples) were examined for telomerase activity and expression of hTRT, the human telomerase RNA component (hTR; encoded by TERC) and the human telomerase-associated protein (hTLP1; encoded by TEP1). A significant correlation between hTRT expression and telomerase activity was observed. These results indicate that the hTRT protein is the catalytic subunit of human telomerase, and that it plays a key role in the activation of telomerase in cancer cells.

Effect of gastrin on gastric mucosal cyclic adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate-dependent protein kinase activity in rat stomach carcinogenesis induced by N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine.

This was a study of the effects of gastrin on gastric mucosal cyclic-adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate (cAMP)-dependent protein kinase activity and DNA synthesis in rat stomach carcinogenesis induced by N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) in order to clarify the mechanism of the enhanced effect of gastrin on the early stage of stomach carcinogenesis. Inbred Basel-Wistar rats received MNNG in drinking water (50 micrograms/ml for 32 weeks) and were treated with s.c. injections of pentagastrin (300 micrograms/kg twice daily for 4 weeks) beginning with the fourth and eighth weeks after the initiation of MNNG treatment. The incidence of gastric adenocarcinoma in fourth-week gastrin-treated rats and of gastric carcinoid in eighth-week gastrin-treated rats was higher than that in rats treated with MNNG alone. The former tumors developed in the antrum and most of the latter tumors in the fundus. In the early stage of carcinogenesis the labeling index [( 3H]thymidine-labeled nuclei/one gland) in both the antrum and fundus was the same in MNNG-plus-gastrin-treated groups and in the MNNG-only-treated group. With regard to the distribution of cAMP-dependent protein kinase isoenzyme in fourth-week gastrin-treated rats, the proportion of type I cAMP-dependent protein kinase significantly increased in the antrum during the eighth week after the initiation of MNNG treatment (P less than 0.01). The increased type I activity in the antrum of the gastrin-treated rats agreed with the high incidence of gastric adenocarcinoma in the antrum. Type I isoenzyme clearly increased in gastric adenocarcinoma. These results suggest that type I cAMP-dependent protein kinase can play an important role in the enhanced effect of gastrin on rat stomach carcinogenesis induced by MNNG.

Cholecystokinin inhibition of tumor growth and gastrin-stimulated cyclic adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate metabolism in human gastric carcinoma in nude mice.

This study deals with the effect of four types of COOH-terminal cholecystokinin (CCK) fragments on the growth of xenotransplantable human gastric cancer (SC-6-JCK, a poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma) whose growth has been promoted by pentagastrin. The growth of the tumor was inhibited using daily s.c. injections of CCK-octapeptide (CCK-8) and glutaryl-CCK-8 at a dose of 500 micrograms/kg body weight. After 30 days of treatment with CCK-8 or glutaryl-CCK-8, a significant decrease was observed in the tumor weight (P less than 0.05) and the tumor size P less than 0.01) in comparison with those of the control. But treatment with CCK-12 and pyroglutamyl-CCK-8 did not produce inhibition of tumor growth. Furthermore the correlation between the effect of CCK-8 on the normal rise in tumor cyclic adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate (cAMP) levels caused by pentagastrin injection and tumor growth was studied. The increase of cAMP by a single i.p. injection of pentagastrin at a dose of 20 micrograms/mouse was significantly inhibited by pretreatment with CCK-8 at concentrations equimolar to pentagastrin (P less than 0.05), while cAMP in the tumor was slightly elevated by a single i.p. injection of CCK-8 alone. Also in the in vitro study, CCK-8 inhibited the increase of cAMP and the activation of cAMP-dependent protein kinase which was stimulated by pentagastrin. These results suggest that proliferation of gastrin-dependent human gastric cancers may be suppressed by CCK in competition with gastrin.

Effects of gastrin on tumor growth and cyclic nucleotide metabolism in xenotransplantable human gastric and colonic carcinomas in nude mice.

This study deals with the growth effect of gastrin on two xenotransplantable human gastric carcinomas (SC-6-JCK, poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma; and St-15, mucinous adenocarcinoma) and on one colonic carcinoma (Co-3, well-differentiated adenocarcinoma). In SC-6-JCK, the treatment with s.c. injection of pentagastrin at a dose of 10 micrograms/mouse once daily for 25 days promoted the growth of the tumor transplanted in nude mice, but gastrin had no effect at all on St-15 and Co-3. In SC-6-JCK, the weight, size, and labeling index of [3H]thymidine of the tumor were significantly increased in comparison with those of the control (p less than 0.05). In SC-6-JCK, cyclic adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate (cAMP) in the tumor was increased by a single i.p. injection of pentagastrin at a dose of 20 micrograms/mouse in nude mice, but such an increase was not observed in St-15 and Co-3. Cyclic guanosine 3':5'-monophosphate in SC-6-JCK was slightly increased by gastrin treatment but was not affected in the other tumors. In SC-6-JCK, at 30 min after gastrin treatment when cAMP showed a maximum increase, the activity ratio of cAMP-dependent protein kinase in the tumor was also elevated. In vitro also, gastrin stimulated cAMP production and cAMP-dependent protein kinase activation. The data suggest that some human gastric carcinomas may have receptor for gastrin.

High incidence of coamplification of hst-1 and int-2 genes in human esophageal carcinomas.

We analyzed the alteration of the hst-1 and int-2 genes in 36 cases of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, 42 cases of gastric adenocarcinoma, and 52 cases of colorectal adenocarcinoma. Coamplification of the hst-1 and int-2 genes was observed in 19 of 36 esophageal carcinomas (52%), 16 of 34 primary tumor tissues (47%), and 10 of 10 metastatic tumors (100%). The degree of amplification ranged from 4- to 8-fold. The incidence of hst-1 and int-2 gene coamplification was significantly higher in male patients than that in female patients (P less than 0.05). The coamplification of the hst-1 and int-2 genes had a tendency to correlate with clinical stage. The progesterone receptor gene, which is mapped to chromosome 11 at band q21-23, was not amplified in these esophageal carcinomas. Coamplification of the hst-1 and int-2 gene does not seem to imply increased numbers of chromosome 11, and the hst-1 and int-2 genes appear to be in same amplification unit on chromosome 11 at band q13. No coamplification of the hst-1 and int-2 genes was detected in gastric carcinomas and colorectal carcinomas. These results suggest that amplification of chromosomal locus of the hst-1 and int-2 genes might participate in carcinogenesis, in progression, and particularly in metastasis of esophageal carcinomas.

Expression and up-regulation of retinoic acid receptor-beta is associated with retinoid sensitivity and colony formation in esophageal cancer cell lines.

Retinoids exhibit chemotherapeutic and chemopreventive activities, possibly due to their ability to modulate cell growth, differentiation, and apoptosis. These effects are thought to be mediated by nuclear retinoic acid (RA) receptors (RARs) and retinoid X receptors, each of which includes three subtypes (alpha, beta, and gamma) that act as transcription factors. To determine whether RARs play a role in mediating the effects of RA on human esophageal cancer (HEC) cells, we analyzed the effects of RA on: (a) the growth, differentiation, and apoptosis in seven HEC cell lines; (b) receptor expression; (c) receptor modulation by RA; and (d) expression of receptors in 20 surgical HEC specimens. RA inhibited the growth of five of seven cell lines and also the constitutive expression of the squamous differentiation markers cytokeratin 1 and transglutaminase I in all cell lines. The growth inhibition by RA was due to the induction of apoptosis in the five cell lines. All seven cell lines expressed RAR-alpha and RAR-gamma, and four cell lines showed some changes by RA, but not associated with apoptosis. In contrast, RAR-beta was expressed in five of seven cell lines and up-regulated by RA in these five cell lines, which were associated with apoptosis. Two cell lines that failed to express RAR-beta showed no growth inhibition or apoptosis and no RAR-beta inducibility. Interestingly, only these two cell lines were able to form colonies in soft agar. RAR-alpha, RAR-beta, and RAR-gamma mRNAs were expressed in all 20 adjacent normal esophageal tissues. The expression of RAR-alpha and RAR-gamma remains positive in HEC specimens, but RAR-beta expression was detected in only 6 of 20 HEC specimens. These data suggest that the expression of RAR-beta is associated with response of HEC cells to RA and that the loss of RAR-beta expression may be associated with HEC development.

Enhanced effect of gastrin on rat stomach carcinogenesis induced by N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine.

This study deals with the effects of gastrin on the incidence of gastric tumors in rats induced by N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine. Inbred Basel-Wistar rats received N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine in drinking water (50 micrograms/ml for 32 weeks) in order to produce gastric carcinoids. A treatment with s.c. injection of pentagastrin (300 micrograms/kg, once daily for 4 weeks) was started at the beginning of N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine treatment simultaneously, on the 4th, 8th, 16th, and 32nd week after start of N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine treatment, respectively. At autopsy, from the 55th to 60th week after start of the experiment, only in the eighth-week group of gastrin-treated rats was the incidence of gastric carcinoid significantly higher than in the gastrin-untreated group of rats receiving N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine alone. The incidence of adenocarcinoma in the glandular stomach also was high only in the fourth-week group of gastrin-treated rats. However, these effects could not be seen in other gastrin-treated or untreated groups of rats. The data suggest that gastrin treatment in the early stage of rat stomach carcinogenesis by N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine is effective in increasing the development of gastric tumors.

Type I and II cyclic adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate-dependent protein kinase in human gastric mucosa and carcinomas.

Cyclic adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate (cAMP)-dependent and cAMP-independent protein kinase activity and the isoenzyme pattern of cAMP-dependent protein kinase were compared in tissues from human nonneoplastic gastric mucosa, 11 human gastric carcinomas, and 2 xenotransplantable human gastric carcinomas (SC-6-JCK and St-15). No difference in total protein kinase activity could be observed between nonneoplastic gastric mucosa and gastric carcinomas. According to diethylaminoethyl cellulose column chromatography, the isoenzyme pattern of the nonneoplastic gastric mucosa was the same in both the gastric fundus and the antrum, and the activity ratio of type II to type I was 5.01. In gastric carcinomas, the elevation of type I was detected independently of the histological type. In xenotransplantable human gastric carcinomas in nude mice, type I isoenzyme was significantly elevated. The activity ratio of type II to type I was 1.70 in SC-6-JCK carcinomas and 1.81 in St-15 carcinomas, respectively. These results suggest that type I cAMP-dependent protein kinase activity in the stomach may be a biochemical marker for malignant transformation and transplantability of gastric tumors.

Telomerase activity in human liver tissues: comparison between chronic liver disease and hepatocellular carcinomas.

Telomerase activity was examined in 105 frozen samples from human normal liver tissues, chronic liver disease, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Telomerase activity was positive in 28 of 33 HCC tissues regardless of tumor stage or size. Telomerase was expressed in 15 of 18 differentiated HCC nodules smaller than 3 cm. HCC tissues from all eight hepatitis B virus-positive patients were telomerase positive, while telomerase activity was not detected in normal liver tissues (0 of 4). Weak telomerase activity was only detected in 1 of 22 nontumor liver tissues from HCC patients. Interestingly, in 19 of 38 hepatitis tissues and 6 of 8 cirrhotic liver tissues from apparently cancer-free patients, very weak telomerase activity was detected. These results indicate that the expression of telomerase may play a crucial role in hepatocarcinogenesis.

Expression of epidermal growth factor receptor in human gastric and colonic carcinomas.

The expression of epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor was examined immunohistochemically in a total of 122 gastric and 61 colonic carcinomas, out of which 16 gastric and 8 colonic carcinomas were also examined by 125I-labeled EGF binding analysis and Western blotting. The values of EGF binding were 12.68 +/- 1.98 (SE; n = 16) fmol/mg protein in gastric carcinomas and 5.72 +/- 2.15 (n = 8) fmol/mg protein in nonneoplastic gastric mucosa, the difference being significant (P less than 0.01). In the colonic tissue, the binding capacities in carcinomas and nonneoplastic mucosa were 13.29 +/- 4.17 (n = 8) and 10.68 +/- 0.41 (n = 3) fmol/mg protein, respectively. Scatchard analysis of 125I-labeled EGF binding indicated a single class of receptors in gastric and colonic carcinomas with an apparent Kd value of from 111 to 277 (n = 4) and from 87.4 to 341 fM (n = 5), respectively, except for one gastric carcinoma having two classes of receptors (Kd = 15.9 and 896 fM). In Western blotting using monoclonal anti-EGF receptor antibody, various levels of EGF receptor expression were detected in 12 (85.7%) of the 14 gastric carcinomas and in 7 (87.5%) of the 8 colonic carcinomas. Immunohistochemically, EGF receptor immunoreactivity was detected in one (3.8%) of the 26 early gastric carcinomas, while it was observed in 33 (34.4%) of the 96 advanced gastric carcinomas, the incidence between the two being significantly different (P less than 0.01). In the colonic carcinomas, 47 (77.1%) of the 61 cases showed positive immunoreactivity to EGF receptor, which did not differ by histological type.

Interleukin 1 alpha acts as an autocrine growth stimulator for human gastric carcinoma cells.

The expression and effect of interleukin 1 alpha (IL-1 alpha) were examined in human gastric carcinoma cell lines to determine if IL-1 alpha acts as a growth stimulator for these cells. Six of 8 gastric carcinoma cell lines expressed IL-1 alpha mRNA at various levels. Among them, TMK-1 and MKN-7 cells secreted IL-1 alpha into the culture fluid, in an especially large amount by MKN-7 cells. Scatchard plot analysis of IL-1 alpha binding revealed that TMK-1 cells had only one type of high-affinity receptors, whereas MKN-7 cells had high- and low-affinity receptors. Cell growth and DNA synthesis of TMK-1 and MKN-7 cells were stimulated by IL-1 alpha, and those of MKN-7 were inhibited by addition of anti-IL-1 alpha antibody or IL-1 receptor antagonist. The expression of IL-1 alpha mRNA by these cell lines was induced by either IL-1 alpha, epidermal growth factor, or transforming growth factor alpha. On the other hand, IL-1 alpha increased the mRNA expression for transforming growth factor alpha and epidermal growth factor receptor. These findings indicate that IL-1 alpha is an autocrine growth stimulator for gastric carcinoma cells and the interaction with epidermal growth factor/transforming growth factor alpha/receptor system should be involved in the growth modulation by IL-1 alpha.

Growth inhibition of transforming growth factor beta on human gastric carcinoma cells: receptor and postreceptor signaling.

The effect of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) on human gastric carcinoma cell lines was examined. Cell growth and DNA synthesis of TMK-1 were inhibited by TGF-beta, whereas MKN-28 presented no response to TGF-beta. Scatchard plot analysis of TGF-beta binding showed that TMK-1 had a relatively small number of high-affinity receptors, whereas MKN-28 had a large number of low-affinity receptors. By affinity labeling, only the type I receptor (Mr 65,000) for TGF-beta was detected in TMK-1, while three types of receptors, type I, type II (Mr 85,000-95,000), and type III (Mr 250,000-350,000), for TGF-beta were present in MKN-28. TGF-beta treatment reduced p34cdc-2 kinase activity and the level of phosphorylation of retinoblastoma protein in TMK-1, whereas it did not affect them in MKN-28. mRNAs for MYC and platelet-derived growth factor B chain were increased by treatment of TGF-beta on TMK-1. cAMP-responsive element binding activity was decreased by TGF-beta treatment in MKN-28 but not in TMK-1. This was closely correlated with protein kinase C activity. These results suggest that the type I receptor for TGF-beta in human gastric carcinoma cells may be mainly linked with the growth inhibition of TGF-beta by a decrease in retinoblastoma protein phosphorylation by p34cdc-2 without suppression of MYC expression. Conversely, TGF-beta may reduce protein kinase C activity and cAMP-responsive element binding activity in TGF-beta-resistant gastric carcinoma cells.

Expression of ERBB2 in human gastric carcinomas: relationship between p185ERBB2 expression and the gene amplification.

The expression of p185ERBB2 in a total of 34 human gastric carcinoma tissues as well as in corresponding normal mucosa was examined by Western blotting. More than 70% of both tumor tissues and normal mucosa showed p185ERBB2 expression at various levels. Eighteen (55%) cases revealed higher levels of p185ERBB2 in the tumor than in normal mucosa, while 13 (38%) cases showed lower levels in the tumor tissues. Higher expression of p185ERBB2 was frequently observed in well differentiated adenocarcinomas, with the incidence between well differentiated type and poorly differentiated type being significantly different (P less than 0.05). Comparative immunohistochemical analysis revealed the consistent results with p185ERBB2 expression obtained by Western blotting in well differentiated adenocarcinomas. Of the 34 cases, three well differentiated adenocarcinomas had extremely high levels of p185ERBB2. ERBB2 gene was amplified in two of the three tumors, but the amplification differed by the tumor site from where the sample was obtained. Another tumor which showed an extremely high level of p185ERBB2 but no gene amplification demonstrated a high level of binding protein to the TATA box that is located in the promoter of the ERBB2 gene. A high level of TATA-binding protein was also detected in gastric carcinoma cell lines which contain a single copy of ERBB2 gene and a high expression of p185ERBB2.

Frequent replication errors at microsatellite loci in tumors of patients with multiple primary cancers.

Nearly 10% of cancer patients develop a second primary cancer within 10 years after surgical removal of the first tumor. Hence, detection of a genetic risk for developing multiple primary tumors would be of clinical importance. To investigate whether a genetic defect(s) involving the mismatch repair system constitutes an important risk factor in patients with multiple primary cancers, we examined replication errors (RER) at microsatellite loci in 79 primary cancers which had developed among 38 patients with multiple primary cancers. The RER(+) phenotype was observed at five microsatellite loci on chromosomes 2, 3, 11, or 17 in tumors from 34 (89%) of 38 patients with multiple primary cancers but only in 19 tumors from 174 patients (11%) with a single primary cancer. Our results suggested that: (a) genetic instability may play an important role in development of multiple primary cancers, and (b) testing for RER in a primary cancer may be an appropriate approach to detection of patients at high risk for developing multiple primary cancers.

Frequent loss of heterozygosity on chromosomes 1q, 5q, and 17p in human gastric carcinomas.

Recently, loss or inactivation of genes at specific chromosomal loci has been considered to be one of the important mechanisms during the development of human tumors. In order to identify tumor suppressor genes for gastric carcinoma, we performed restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis on 48 human gastric carcinomas. Allele losses were investigated for 14 specific loci on chromosomes 1, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12, and 17. Loss of heterozygosity on chromosome 17p13.1 (p53 locus) was detected in 13 (68%) of 19 informative cases. Well-differentiated adenocarcinoma showed high frequencies of allele losses on chromosomes 5q (60%) and 17p (67%) in early cancers and on chromosomes 1q (67%), 5q (36%), 7p (33%), 7q (39%), and 17p (73%) in advanced cancers. In poorly differentiated adenocarcinomas, loss of heterozygosity was detected on chromosomes 1p (38%), 12q (31%), and 17p (60%). Allele losses on chromosomes 1q, 5q, and 7p were not detected in poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma, their frequencies being significantly different between the two histological types. These results suggest that allele loss on chromosome 17p is a common event in gastric carcinoma, regardless of histological type, and that allele loss on chromosome 5q may play a role in the carcinogenesis of well-differentiated adenocarcinoma. Additionally, allele losses on chromosomes 1q and 7p may be involved in the progression of well-differentiated adenocarcinoma.

Abnormal retention of intron 9 in CD44 gene transcripts in human gastrointestinal tumors.

We have recently identified a new exon of the CD44 gene and demonstrated abnormal retention of a noncoding section, intron 9, in mRNA from bladder carcinomas. To analyze this further, the present study examined CD44 gene expression in cell lines from 14 esophageal, 3 colonic, and 4 breast carcinomas and in fresh samples from 20 colorectal carcinomas and corresponding normal colonic mucosa, using reverse transcriptase followed by the polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). This confirmed that there was abnormal assembly of several exons of the gene in cell lines and in tumor tissues from these organs. However, the most striking new finding was that intron 9 was present in RNA from 11 esophageal, 3 colon, and 1 breast carcinoma cell line, respectively. This was confirmed by RNase and DNase digestion analysis. Moreover, it was detected both in nuclear and cytoplasmic mRNA fractions, indicating that abnormal splicing of pre-mRNA occurs in cancer cells. The abnormal retention of intron 9 in CD44 gene transcripts was also demonstrated in tumor tissues from 16 (80%) of 20 patients with colon carcinoma, but there was no correlation with Dukes' stage. The biological significance of these observations is not yet understood. However, it is clear that, as with the abnormal expression pattern of CD44 variant exons, intron 9 retention is a good-candidate molecular diagnostic tool for colorectal carcinomas.

Differential immunohistochemical detection of amphiregulin and cripto in human normal colon and colorectal tumors.

Thirty-six primary human colorectal tumors, 43 noninvolved colon samples that were adjacent to either carcinomas of adenomas, 22 adenomas, and nine normal colon specimens were immunohistochemically examined for the presence and localization of two epidermal growth factor-related peptides, amphiregulin (AR) and cripto. Within the primary tumors, 18 (50%) showed moderate levels of AR expression. Approximately 60% of the tubular and tubulovillous adenomas were positive for AR expression, whereas only 15% of the adjacent, noninvolved colon mucosa expressed AR. A greater proportion of well-differentiated tumors (71%) were positive for AR expression than were poorly differentiated tumors (18%). All of the nine normal colon specimens were positive. Consequently, AR expression appeared to be associated with both normal and malignant epithelial cells that were more differentiated. The distribution of cripto expression was different. Seventy-nine % of the colon tumors expressed cripto with a frequency of expression that was approximately equivalent between well-differentiated and poorly differentiated tumors. Approximately 86% of the tubulovillous adenomas, but only 43% of the tubular adenomas, were positive for cripto expression. In contrast, whereas AR was expressed in normal colon specimens, none of these tissues expressed cripto, and only 12% of the noninvolved normal colon samples adjacent to tumors or adenomas were positive for cripto. Cripto expression therefore appeared related to neoplasia. These data suggest that AR and cripto may be functioning as potential autocrine and/or paracrine growth factors in the colon and that the differential expression of cripto may serve as a potential tumor marker for colonic carcinogenesis.

Immuno-histochemical detection of human telomerase catalytic component, hTERT, in human colorectal tumor and non-tumor tissue sections.

Human telomerase is expressed in germ tissues and in the majority of primary tumors. Cell renewal tissues and some pre-cancerous tissues also have weak telomerase activity. Yet, neither the exact location and frequency of telomerase-positive cells nor the changes in telomerase expression during differentiation or carcinogenesis of individual cells are known. This paper reports on the expression of hTERT (telomerase reverse transcriptase) protein in tumor and non-tumor colorectal tissues by Western blotting and tissue sections by immunohistochemistry using antibodies raised against partial peptides of hTERT. Though telomerase activity and hTERT expression at both mRNA and protein levels were generally higher in tumor part than in non-tumor part, these two were not always correlated: expression of hTERT did not always give rise to high telomerase activity. Colonic carcinoma cell nuclei were stained with anti-hTERT antibodies but not with antigen-preabsorbed antibodies. In normal mucosa, hTERT protein was expressed, though weaker than in carcinoma, in all colonic crypt epithelial cells except those at the tip; the expressing-cell distribution was much wider than that of Ki-67 positive cells which were located at the bottom of the crypt. Isolated crypt contained a significant level of hTERT protein revealed by Western blotting, while having very weak telomerase activity. Telomerase activity was detected in epithelial cells only at the bottom half of the crypt. Specific hTERT-staining was positive in tissue lymphocytes but negative in almost all other stromal cells. It is of interest to see whether a significant level of hTERT expression with low telomerase activity is characteristic of physiologically regenerating tissues containing stem cells. In situ detection of the hTERT protein will permit further analysis of cancer diagnosis and stem cell differentiation.

Immuno-histochemical detection of human telomerase reverse transcriptase in human liver tissues.

Although telomerase activity in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) increases in accordance with degree of histological undifferentiation, it is unknown whether the level of telomerase activity in HCC reflects of the degree of activity in individual cells or the frequency of telomerase-positive HCC cells. Non-cancerous liver tissues exhibit low but significant levels of telomerase activity, but the nature of telomerase-positive cells in these tissues is unclear. In this study, we performed immunohistochemical staining using specific antibody against telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) protein in 15 HCC samples and 13 adjacent non-cancerous liver tissues. There were hTERT-positive hepatocytes, though very low frequency, in non-cancerous liver tissues. The frequencies in hTERT positive hepatocytes were very well correlated with clinicopathological parameters and telomerase activity levels: the average frequencies of chronic hepatitis was 0.2%, liver cirrhosis 0.2%, well-differentiated HCC 3.0%, moderately differentiated HCC 28%, and poorly differentiated HCC 95%. The intensity of staining varied among cells within a given specimen, and correlation with degree of histological undifferentiation was less obvious. Portions of migrating lymphocytes and biliary epithelial cells were also hTERT-positive. These findings indicate that the upregulation of telomerase activity with degree of undifferentiation of HCC is mainly due to the increase in frequency of hTERT positive HCC cells.

Proton pump inhibitors reduce cell cycle abnormalities in Barrett's esophagus.

Neoplastic progression in Barrett's esophagus is a multi-step process in which the metaplastic columnar epithelium sequentially evolves through a metaplasia-dysplasia-carcinoma sequence. The expression and DNA copy number of key cell cycle regulatory genes in paired normal and Barrett's esophagus samples was evaluated. Protein levels were evaluated in 60 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded human tissues by immunohistochemistry. DNA copy number from 20 fresh tissue pairs was analysed by Southern blot analysis. All normal mucosal samples expressed the p27(kip1) protein, but did not display appreciable nuclear staining for p16(kip4), p21(cip1) or cyclins D1 and E. Barrett's metaplastic specimens displayed increased expression levels of p16(kip4) (74%), p21(cip1) (89%) and cyclins D1 (43%) and E (37%). p27 protein was absent in three cases. There was a significant correlation between the expression of p16(kip4) and cyclin E, and p21(cip1) and p27(kip4) with cyclin D1. DNA analysis did not reveal any amplification or deletion of these genes. Acid suppression, however, was associated with significantly lower expression levels of key cell cycle proteins. Increased expression of key cell cycle regulatory genes appears to occur early in the neoplastic progression associated with Barrett's esophagus. Treatment with proton pump inhibitors appears to alter this increased expression.