Study of the expressions of p53 and bcl-2 genes, the telomerase activity and apoptosis in GIST patients

AIM: To explore the relationship between clinicobiological behavior and the expression levels of telomerase activity, apoptosis, p53 gene and bcl-2 gene in gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs). METHODS: The intensity of telomerase activity, apoptosis, p53 and bcl-2 expression in GISTs were detected by telomeric repeat amplification protocol, in situ end-labeling technique, and immunohistochemistry, respectively. RESULTS: The positive rates of telomerase activity of malignant GIST, potential malignant GIST and benign GIST were 85% (17/20), 22.8% (2/9) and 0 (0/9), respectively. The apoptosis indices of malignant GIST, potential malignant GIST, and benign GIST were 11.7 +/- 5.4, 30.2 +/- 5.6 and 45.2 +/- 7.2, respectively. The intensity of telomerase activity and apoptosis were related to the biological characteristics of GISTs (85% vs 22.8%, 0, 0; P < 0.01 or 11.7 +/- 5.4 vs 30.2 +/- 5.6, 45.2 +/- 7.2, 72.1 +/- 9.3; P < 0.05). The intensity of telomerase activity was negatively correlated with cellular apoptosis (22.9 +/- 8.4 vs 9.5 +/- 5.7, P < 0.01). The intensity of telomerase activity was positively correlated with p53, bcl-2 expression (40.0% vs 78.9%, 40.0% vs 84.2%; P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The detection of telomerase activity apoptosis and its control genes in GIST will be helpful for the discrimination of the malignant and benign GIST and evaluation of the prognosis. (C) 2007 The WJG Press. All rights reserved.