Korean J Obstet Gynecol.  1999 Sep;42(9):1948-1954.

Telomerase Activity in Endometrium According to Menstrual Cycle

• Lee HY
• Koh MW

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
Recently, telomerase activity was found in normal physiologically regenerating cells as well as cancer cells or germ cells. Human endometrium is also physiologically regenerating tissues and undergoes regular and dynamic changes during the menstrual cycle. So the authors examined normal human endometrial tissues for telomerase activity according to menstrual cycle. METHOD: In the current study, 66 normal human endometrial tissues were analyzed for telomerase activity by a radioisotope polimerase chain reaction-based telomeric repeat amplification protocol assay.
RESULTS
Of 27 proliferative phase endometrial samples, 22(81%) expressed telomerase activity, whereas 10 of 23(43%) secretory phase sample, 2 of 10(10%) postmenopausal sample, 1 of 6(17%) pregnant endometrial sample did(P<0.05). 4 of 27(15%) endometrial samples in the proliferative phase expressed high telomerase activity after 100-fold dilution of extract, whereas 1 of 23(4%) from secretory phase, none of the 10 postmenopausal and 6 pregnant endometrial samples did. The highest activity was observed in late proliferative phase.
CONCLUSION
This study indicates that normal endometrium expresses telomerase, the activity of which changes dramatically and regularly during the course of the menstrual cycle.

Keyword

Telomerase activity; Endometrium; Menstrual cycle; Telomerase

MeSH Terms

Endometrium*
Female
Germ Cells
Humans
Menstrual Cycle*
Telomerase*
Telomerase