Y chromosome loss and rearrangement in non-small-cell lung cancer.
While loss of the Y chromosome from the karyotype of tumor cells has frequently been found in a number of human malignancies of different types, structural alterations are a much less common finding. Prompted by the high frequency of cytogenetic Y chromosome loss found in primary non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and the fact that NSCLC karyotypes usually contain marker chromosomes of unidentified origin, we have determined the Y chromosome status of 12 NSCLC samples (7 cell lines and 5 primary tumors) at a molecular level. Of the 9 cases which did not have a cytogenetically detectable Y chromosome, 4 were negative for all the Y sequences tested. The other 5, in contrast, retained some Y chromosome sequences. In 1 case (H520), only Yq heterochromatic sequences were detected, whereas in the remaining 4 (L162, L93, L125 and L71) both Yq heterochromatic sequences and Y euchromatic sequences were retained. The region of common overlap for loss of Y euchromatin was Yp distal to the Y centromere. We hypothesize that deletion of Yp sequences may play a role in tumor progression in NSCLC due to loss of a tumor-suppressor gene.
Department of Cytogenetics, St. Vincent's Hospital, Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia.
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D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000235:genetics*; D002872:Chromosome Deletion; D016153:Genes, Suppressor; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D007621:Karyotyping; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D014178:Translocation, Genetic; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D014998:Y Chromosome