Abstract
PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to establish the length of telomeres in familial adenomatous polyposis-associated desmoids. METHODS: DNA from 21 desmoids and five desmoid precursor lesions was digested withHinfI andRsaI restriction enzymes. Southern blotting of the resolved fragments was performed, and the membranes were hybridized with a specific probe attached to a chemiluminescent substrate. Terminal restriction fragment lengths were measured. RESULTS: The median terminal restriction fragment length for the desmoids was 8 (range, 6–9.6)vs. 7.7 (range, 6.4–9.9) kb for their controls. Median terminal restriction fragment length for the desmoid precursor lesions was 9 (range, 7.8–10.4)vs. 8.8 (range, 6.8–10.9) kb for their controls. There was no statistically significant difference between samples and their controls. CONCLUSION: Immortality may not be necessary for desmoid development, or there may be other mechanisms maintaining telomere length. Novel treatments involving telomerase inhibition will be inappropriate in the management of desmoids.
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Middleton, S.B., Pack, K. & Phillips, R.K.S. Telomere length in familial adenomatous polyposis-associated desmoids. Dis Colon Rectum 43, 1535–1539 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02236734
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02236734