Proliferation-associated regulation of telomerase activity in human endometrium and its potential implication in early cancer diagnosis.

Telomerase activity was detected in normal endometrium in association with proliferation and regulated during the menstrual cycle in a hormone-dependent manner. The activity was maximal at the late-proliferative phase to mid-secreting phase, and was absent or extremely low at early-proliferative phase and late-secreting phase. Activity was also detected in all endometrial simple hyperplasias tested (16 of 16) and in most cancers (28 of 30), but none was detected in endometrium of either pregnant or postmenopausal women in the absence of hyperplasia. Our data provide evidence that the telomerase activity in postmenopausal endometrium reflects a hyperproliferative condition. Therefore, we conclude that telomerase can provide a novel marker for early endometrial cancer diagnosis. Hormone-dependent regulation of telomerase suggests the possibility of therapeutic and preventive strategies for endometrial cancers through the management of ovarian steroid hormones or other agents that regulate telomerase activity.