Pilocytic astrocytomas have telomere-associated promyelocytic leukemia bodies without alternatively lengthened telomeres.

摘要: Telomere maintenance by either telomerase activity or the recombination-mediated alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) mechanism is a hallmark cancer. Tumors that use ALT as their telomere are characterized long great heterogeneity in length and specific nuclear structures co-localized promyelocytic leukemia protein DNA, called ALT-associated bodies (APBs). Recent advances have revealed direct role for APBs recombination ALT-positive cells. In this study, we investigated possibility could occur before 'alternatively' lengthened arise, particularly low-grade tumors. We measured APBs, length, 64 astrocytomas inclusive grade 1-4 Almost all 1-3 tumors (93%) were APB-positive using published criteria. Grade 2-3 also had confirmed positive. However, 1 lacked therefore classified negative, but positive telomere-associated (TPB). This first report TPB-positive ALT-negative tumor, suggests foundation recombinational repair, ALT. Further work warranted to characterize phenotype other early malignancies, well determine whether TPBs predispose