Telomerase activity and expression in the course of treatment of acute childhood leukemias
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2000 |
| Type | Article in Proceedings |
| Conference | Miami Nature Biotechnology Short Reporřts, Volume 11m, Advances in Gene Technology: DNA, RNA and CANCER |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Field | Genetics and molecular biology |
| Keywords | Telomerase activity |
| Description | Samples of blood and marrow from children with leukemia were assayed for telomerase activity and expression on the day of diagnosis and during the course of chemotherapy. A strong correlation between either variables and clinical response was observed in most patients. A unique case was observed in which telomerase activity was only moderately increased on diagnosis; it gradually increased in the course of therapy, and a subsequent decrease occurred only after application of intensified therapy. This patient did not respond to therapy, his disease progressed, and he finally died during intensified therapy. In another patient, analysis of telomere lengths using dideoxy-PRINS revealed a single telomere expansion on a long arm of chromosome 4, suggesting involvement of a telomerase-independent mechanism of telomere elongation. |
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