Molecular and Cellular Pathology

British Journal of Cancer (2003) 88, 516–520. doi:10.1038/sj.bjc.6600754 www.bjcancer.com
Published online 18 February 2003

Clinical implications of quantitative real-time RT–PCR analysis of hTERT gene expression in human gliomas

A Tchirkov1,2, C Rolhion1,3, J-L Kémény4, B Irthum5, S Puget5, T Khalil5, O Chinot6, F Kwiatkowski7, B Périssel2, P Vago2 and P Verrelle1,3

  1. 1Département de Radiothérapie, Centre Jean Perrin, 63011 Clermont-Ferrand, France
  2. 2Service de Cytogénétique Médicale, Hôpital Gabriel Montpied, 63001 Clermont-Ferrand, France
  3. 3INSERM U484, 63005 Clermont-Ferrand, France
  4. 4Laboratoire d'Anatomie Pathologique, Hôpital Gabriel Montpied, 63001 Clermont-Ferrand, France
  5. 5Services de Neurochirurgie, Hôpital Gabriel Montpied, 63001 Clermont-Ferrand, France
  6. 6Service de Neurochirurgie, Hôpital de la Timone, 13385 Marseille, France
  7. 7Service Statistiques et Communications Médicales, Centre Jean Perrin, 63011 Clermont-Ferrand, France

Correspondence: Dr A Tchirkov, Département de Radiothérapie, Centre Jean Perrin - BP 392, 63011 Clermont-Ferrand Cedex 1, France. E-mail: andrei.tchirkov@cjp.u-clermont1.fr

Revised 25 September 2002; Accepted 19 November 2002.

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Abstract

The presence of telomerase activity in a glioma may be a predictor of its malignant potential. Activation of telomerase is regulated at the transcriptional level of the human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT). Here, we evaluated whether the amount of hTERT mRNA provides a molecular marker of glioma malignancy that would have clinical utility. We used a real-time RT–PCR to assess the number of hTERT transcripts in primary tumour samples derived from 70 glioma patients. Results were standardised by quantifying the number of ABL transcripts as internal control and expressed as hTERT/ABL ratio. The percentage of patients with detectable hTERT mRNA markedly increased with enhanced malignancy: low-grade gliomas expressed hTERT in one out of 14 cases (7.1%), anaplastic gliomas in four out of 13 cases (30.8%) and glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) tumours in 30 out of 43 cases (69.8%). The mean hTERT/ABL ratio was significantly higher in GBMs than in non-GBMs. Subdividing hTERT/ABL ratios as low (less than or equal to25%) and high (>25%), we found that the overall survival among hTERT-positive GBMs was significantly worse in high hTERT expressors than in low hTERT expressors (P=0.0082). We conclude that the amount of hTERT mRNA may represent a diagnostic and prognostic indicator for GBM patients.

Keywords:

hTERT, real-time PCR, glioblastoma multiforme, diagnosis, prognosis