Background and objectives: Activation of telomerase and stabilization of telomeres are considered necessary for immortalization of tumor cells. Telomerase activity was analyzed in 69 hepatocellular carcinomas and adjacent chronic liver disease tissues. The telomerase activity level was examined in relation to clinicopathologic features.
Methods: Telomerase activity was determined by a telomeric repeat amplification protocol. Immature and mature leukocytes were removed from homogenized tissue of adjacent livers using anti-CD45 and anti-CD15 monoclonal antibody-coated magnetic beads.
Results: Telomerase activity was detected in hepatocellular carcinomas and leukocytes, but not in liver cells from adjacent chronic liver disease tissues after the separation of leukocytes. All hepatocellular carcinomas displayed telomerase activity, and the activity level correlated with the degree of differentiation (P=0.021) and patient survival (P=0.039).
Conclusions: These results indicate that activation of telomerase may be required as a critical step in hepatocarcinogenesis and tumor development, and detection of telomerase activity with removal of contaminating leukocytes may be useful in the characterization or prognostication of hepatocellular carcinoma.