Telomere, cellular DNA content and gastric mucosal carcinogenesis / 中华消化杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate telomere length and cellular DNA content in different gastric lesion mucosa, and their relation with gastric mucosal carcinogenesis. Methods Telomere length were determined by southern hybridization. Cellular DNA content was detected by flow cytometry. Results Telomere length in intestinal metaplasia (IM) grade 2 was significantly shorter than that in normal gastric, IM grade 0 or grade 1. Telemere length of gastric carcinoma cells was the shortest in all of the biopsy specimens. Telomere length ratio in patients of corresponding surrounding nontumorous tissues with IM grade 2 was the largest in 45 resected gastric carcinoma. In flow cytometry, The aneuploid of gastric carcinoma (n=18), chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) contained IM grade 2 (n=8), grade 1 (n=40), grade 0 (n=20), chronic superficial gastritis (CSG n=46) and normal gastric mucosa (n=10) was 33.3%,12.5%,10.0%,0.0%,0.0% and 0.0%, rspectively, in all of the biopsy specimens. In 45 resected gastric carcinoma specimens, Telomere length of 18 aneuploid was significantly shorter than that of 27 diploid. Furthermore reverse correlation was observed between telomere length and the DNA index in 18 aneuploid. Conclusions Telomere length were shortened as normal mucosa changed into intestinal metaplasia and more into gastric cancer. The normal and CSG mucosa shows no aneuploid. The positivity of DNA aneuploid tends to increase with the progression of intestinal metaplasia. In addition, telomere length and the DNA index show a reverse correlation. It is speculated that the shorter the telomere length the more amplificative activity the DNA. Telomere length and increased DNA index may be a predictor of stomach carcinogenesis.