Detection Of TERC Gene Amplification In Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia And Cervical Cancer With Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization And Its Clinical Significance

Objective:To investigate amplification of the telomerase RN A component (TERC) gene in cervical cancer and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) by using dual-color interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and its significance in screening of cervical lesion.Methods:Specimens of cervical exfoliation cells were obtained from 120 outpatients with cervical lesion and were produced into glass smears.The smears from 120 cases including normal cell smears(20 cases), CINⅠ,CINⅡ,CINⅢand cervical cancer cell each in 25 cases. The amplification of TERC gene in cervical exfoliation cells was detected by dual-color interphase FISH. The results of normal samples were used to set up the threshold for contrast.Results:①The threshold was 6.27%.The percentages of abnormal cells in CINⅠ,CINⅡ,CINⅢand cervical cancer were significantly higher than the threshold from normal cells (P<0.05), and the percentage of abnormal cells increased with the serious degree of pathological grade increased(P<0.01);②The percentages of 2:3,2:4,2:5 and 4:4 or more than it types in CINⅠ,CINⅡ,CINⅢand cervical cancer were significant differences(all P＜0.01), and the percentages of 2:4,2:5 and 4:4 or more than it types in cervical cancer were significant higher than those in CIN I (P<0.001),while the percentage of 2:3 type was significant lower (P＜0.001);③The percentage of abnormal cells increased with the worse of cytological grade increased(P<0.01), the percentages of 2:3,2:5 and 4:4 or more than it types in atypical squamous cell of undetermined significance (ASCUS),low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions(LSIL) and high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL) were significant differences(all P＜0.01), and the percentages of 2:5 and 4:4 or more than it types in HSIL were significant higher than those in ASCUS(P＜0.01),while the percentage of 2:3 type was significant lower than those in it (P＜0.01); (4)The detection rates of LSIL and HSIL with cytological examination in low and high grade CIN were 40% and 62% respectively, which were significant lower than that of detection rates by FISH (P＜0.05).Conclusion:There was an abnormal amplification of TERC gene in CINⅠ,CINⅡ,CINⅢand cervical cancer, and its copy numbers increase with the worse of pathological and cytological grades increased. Detection of amplification of TERC gene in cervical exfoliation cells with FISH has a certain valuation for cervival lesion screening and the prediction of lesion progression.