Instability of chromosome 8 as an indicator of aggressive tumor phenotype in pancreatic cancer.
OBJECTIVE
Chromosomal instability is a common feature of pancreatic carcinoma, but its biological significance remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the association between chromosomal instability and biological aggressiveness in human pancreatic cancer cells.


METHODS
Fluorescence in situ hybridization was performed to examine changes in chromosomal numbers in a total of 13 pancreatic cancer cell lines. We also assessed the potential for tumor aggressiveness within cancer cells by in vitro migration and invasion assay and by subcutaneous implantation into nude mice.


RESULTS
Chromosomal instability, characterized by numerical variations in copy numbers of chromosome 8, was observed in most cell lines, and the magnitude of instability was correlated well with both motility (P < 0.001) and invasion rate (P < 0.001) of these cells. Furthermore, a significant positive correlation existed between chromosome instability and tumor growth in vivo (P < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that the increased level of chromosomal instability may play a critical role in the development of aggressive tumor phenotype during pancreatic cancer progression. J. Surg. Oncol. 2001;76:181-187.
Department of Surgery and Oncology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
N
N
Sato
K
K
Mizumoto
N
N
Maehara
M
M
Shono
E
E
Nagai
M
M
Tanaka
D000818:Animals; D002452:Cell Count; D002465:Cell Movement; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D002898:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 8 / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured