Profile of POT1 as telomerase shelterin component discriminatesbetween cervical cancer and normal cervical cells.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Telomerase activity is influenced by hTERT transcriptional regulation, shelterin, and posttranscriptional alternative splicing. Telomerase shelterin such as POT1 is highly correlated with various cancers. However, the profile of POT1 in cervical cancer has not been clearly identified. Therefore, it is important to identify its profile in cervical cancer biopsy tissue and normal cervical smears.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Biopsy tissue of cervical cancer patients and normal cervical smears were characterized using SDS-PAGE and western blot. Sixteen biopsy tissues of cervical cancer patients and 15 normal cervical smears were measured for POT1 level using ELISA.

RESULTS: The inline band at 70 kDa indicated that all samples had protein that was identified as POT1. Western blot showed that telomerase antibody only recognized POT1 in biopsy tissue of cervical cancer patients. There was a significant difference (P = 0.01) in POT1 level between biopsy tissue of cervical cancer patients and normal cervical smears.

CONCLUSION: POT1 was identified at 70 kDa in biopsy tissue of cervical cancer patients and its level was higher than that in normal cervical smears. The high level of POT1 in the biopsy tissue of cervical cancer patients showed the influence of this shelterin component in cervical carcinogenesis and also cell immortalization.