Telomere length maintenance is essential for tumorigenesis; most @entity1 @entity5 stabilize their chromosome ends via the activity of a specialized reverse transcriptase, telomerase, that uses the template region of the RNA moiety complementary to the TTAGGG repeat to synthesize one strand of telomeric DNA. @entity1653 are estimated to constitute between 13% and 26% of primary @entity5 . The aim of this study was to evaluate telomerase activity and its messenger expression in @entity1653 in relation to their different histologic pattern and grade of cytonuclear atypies, which are associated with relapse, and consequently represent the most important parameter for the evaluation of the clinical behavior of this @entity5 . Telomerase activity was examined by the telomeric repeat amplification protocol (TRAP) assay in 32 @entity1653 (26 typical and 6 atypical/anaplastic). Telomerase messenger expression ( @entity2215 mRNA) was evaluated by reverse transcription-PCR analysis in the same group of @entity5 . Telomerase activity ranged from undetectable to low levels in 19/26 (73%) of @entity1653 , while all the atypical/ @entity1653 showed medium-high levels of activity (>3 TPG units, median value), (chi(2) test; p=0.001). The levels of telomerase in terms of its messenger level expression overlapped the activity; a significant association between telomerase activity and @entity2215 mRNA expression was also found (chi(2) test; p=0.01). Moreover, 2 atypical/ @entity1653 of our series relapsed; in these samples we found high levels of telomerase, both in terms of activity and mRNA expression. Telomerase activity and its @entity2215 mRNA expression tended to increase as the histologic grading of @entity5 increased, suggesting a role of telomerase reactivation in the progression of these @entity5 . Moreover, our results indicate RT-PCR assay as a rapid tool to identify and quantify telomerase RNA in @entity1653 as in other @entity1 @entity5 models.

Telomerase in XXXX .

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['human'] @entity1653 :: ('MESH:D008579', 'Disease') :: ['intracranial meningiomas', 'Meningiomas', 'typical meningiomas', 'anaplastic meningiomas', 'meningiomas'] @entity2215 :: ('7015', 'Gene') :: ['hTERT'] @entity5 :: ('MESH:D009369', 'Disease') :: ['tumor', 'intracranial tumors', 'tumors']
@entity1653 :: (MESH:D008579,Disease) :: ['intracranial meningiomas']
