Correlation between expression of human telomerase RNA component and infection of human papillomavirus in cervical lesion

Objective To investigate the expression of human telomerase RNA component(hTERC),infection of human papillomavirus(HPV) in the cervical exfoliated cells and the clinical significance of them in screening cervical cancer.Methods The cervical exfoliated cell specimens from 129 cases of cervical diseases were divided into cervical intraepithelial neoplasia(CIN) Ⅰ group(n=41),CINⅡ group(n=29),CIN Ⅲ group(n=35) and squamous cell carcinoma(SCC) group(n=24).Another 20 healthy volunteers during the same period were as controls(control group).The hTERC gene amplification was detected with Thin-Prep cytological test(TCT),HPV DNA and fluorescence in situ hybridization(FISH) in all cases.Results The positive expression rate of hTERC was 7.31%,34.48%,62.86% and 75.00% in CINⅠ,CINⅡ,CINⅢ and SCC group,which showed significant differences compared with control group(P0.05).The positive rate of hTERC was significantly higher in CINⅢ and SCC group than that in CINⅠ group(P0.05).The positive expression rate of hTERC was positively correlated with the severity of cervical disease(r=0.931,P=0.031).The positive rate of HPV DNA was 15.00%,45.71% and 87.50% respectively in control group,CINⅠ+Ⅱ+Ⅲ group and SCC group,which showed significant differences(P0.05).The expression of hTERC was positively correlated with high-risk HPV infection(r=0.381,P=0.002).Conclusion The hTERC amplification occurs in more patients with severe cervical lesions and cervical cancer,which is correlated with high-risk HPV infection and may be a predictable index of the progression of cervical cancer.