Telomerase activity and telomere length in malignant cells of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Telomere length, level of telomerase activity and expression pattern of RNA-component (hTR) and catalytic subunit (hTERT) of telomerase were studied in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. It has been shown that the level of telomerase activity in bone marrow specimens from pediatric patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia at diagnosis or in relapse of disease was significantly higher comparing with that from patients in remission or healthy subjects. Level of telomerase activity correlated negatively with telomere length in leukemic cells and normal leukocytes. Difference in expression pattern of hTERT mRNA splice-variants was demonstrated in acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients at diagnosis and in remission. It was assumed that telomere length, level of telomerase activity and hTERT expression may serve as relevant tools for leukemic blasts evaluation in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.