Telomerase activity in plasma cell dyscrasias

Activation of telomerase is essential for in vitro cellular immortalization and tumorigenesis. In the present study, we investigated telomerase activation and its implications in monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), multiple myeloma (MM) and plasma cell leukemia (PCL). Plasma cells were isolated from bone marrow mononuclear cells by CD38brigl" isolation. All 5 patients with MGUS exhibited normal levels of telomerase activity in their plasma cells. Telomerase activity was elevated in 78% (21/27) of the samples from patients with MM, in 4/4 from patients with PCL and in 4/4 MM cell lines. The expression of telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) and telomerase RNA template was correlated to telomerase activity in MM/PCL. Tankyrase expression was upregulated, concomitant with induction of hTERT and activation of telomerase in MM/PCL. The present results indicate that activation of telomerase may play a role in the progression of MGUS to MM.