[Allelic loss on chromosome 3p21-26 in nasopharyngeal carcinoma].
OBJECTIVE
To determine the frequency and extent of loss of heterozygosity (LOH) on chromosome 3p in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).


METHODS
Sixteen loci on chromosome bands 3p21-26 in 24 tumors was studied by using microsatellite analysis.


RESULTS
LOH on 3p21-26 was found in 16 of 24 tumors (66.7%). The highest frequency of the allelic loss was found in two adjacent loci D3S1620(50%, 11/22) and D3S1560 (50%, 9/18). Eight cases showed LOH in one contiguous region and 5 cases in more than one region. Sample 1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 10, 16, 17, 18, 19, and 22 had a contiguous stretch of allelic loss between D3S1297 and D3S1597.


CONCLUSIONS
The smallest common LOH/deletion region seems likely to lie between D3S1620(3p26.2-26.3) and D3S1560(3p25.3). The allelic loss map defined here will facilitate finer mapping of putative tumor suppressor gene loci and positional cloning of such genes, which may play a role in carcinogenesis of NPC.
Cancer Research Institute, Hunan Medical University, Changsha.
L
L
Deng
N
N
Jiang
G
G
Tan
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000483:Alleles; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics*; D002893:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 3; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019656:Loss of Heterozygosity; D008297:Male; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats; D008875:Middle Aged; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*