Consistent chromosome abnormalities including double minutes (dms) in adenocarcinoma of the pancreas

Journal Article · Thu Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1994 · American Journal of Human Genetics

OSTI ID:133506

Griffin, C A; Morsberger, L; Ellingham, T ^[1]

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1. Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Chicago, IL (United States); and others

Little is known about the somatic genetic changes which characterize pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PA), and identification of acquired genomic alterations would further our understanding of the biology of this neoplasm. We have studied 62 primary specimens of PA using classical and FISH methods. Clonally abnormal karyotypes were observed in 44 neoplasms. Karyotypes were generally complex (greater than 3 abnormalities) including both numerical and structural chromosome changes. Many tumors contained at least one marker chromosome. The most frequent whole chromosomal gains were chromosomes 20 (7 tumors) and 7 (5 tumors). Losses were much more frequent: chromosome 18 was lost in 22 tumors, followed by chromosomes 13 (15 tumors), 12 (13 tumors), and 6 (12 tumors). Structural abnormalities were common. 200 chromosome breakpoints were identified. Excluding Robertsonian translocations, chromosomal arms most frequently involved were 6q (12 chromosomes), 1p and 3p (10 each), 11p and 17p (9 each), 1q (8), 8p and 19q (7 each). Of particular interest, we found dms in 6 cases. These represent the first PAs with cytogenetic evidence of gene amplification, and are under investigation using chromosome microdissection. To begin to define the smallest region of 6q which is deleted, 5 tumors with 6q deletions were hybridized with a biotin-labeled probe, made by microdissection of 6q24-qter. Loss of one copy of this region was verified in 4/5 tumors; additional probes are being made. Our results are similar to those of 34 other reported PAs, and the combined data suggest that gains of chromosomes 7 and 20 and deletions and rearrangements of 1p and 6q may be particularly important in the biology of adenocarcinoma of the pancreas.

• OSTI ID: 133506
• Report Number(s): CONF-941009--
• Journal Information: American Journal of Human Genetics, Journal Name: American Journal of Human Genetics Journal Issue: Suppl.3 Vol. 55; ISSN AJHGAG; ISSN 0002-9297
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

55 BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
BASIC STUDIES
CARCINOMAS
CHROMOSOMAL ABERRATIONS
DNA HYBRIDIZATION
FLUORESCENCE
GENE AMPLIFICATION
GENES
GENETIC MAPPING
HUMAN CHROMOSOMES
KARYOTYPE
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
PANCREAS
PROBES
SOMATIC MUTATIONS