title: Spontaneous and spindle poison-induced micronuclei and chromosome non-disjunction in cytokinesis-blocked lymphocytes from two age groups of women.
abstract: Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was used to evaluate spontaneous and aneuploidogen-induced micronucleus frequencies and non-disjunction of chromosomes X and 8 in cultured binucleated lymphocytes of women of two age groups. Demecolcine and vincristine were used as model aneuploidogens to induce micronuclei and chromosome malsegregation. Four of the women were aged 22-26 (mean 24.3) years and four 47-50 (mean 49.0) years. Pancentromeric FISH was applied to micronuclei to identify chromosomes and double-color centromeric FISH, performed in binucleates of two young and two older women, was used to assess the involvement of chromosomes X and 8 in micronuclei and non-disjunction. It was confirmed that age increases micronucleus frequency. Micronuclei containing whole chromosomes predominated in older females. Age also enhanced micronuclei containing acentric chromosome fragments. The inclusion of chromosomes X and 8 in micronuclei was enhanced by age and chromosome X was generally overrepresented. Non-disjunction of chromosomes X and 8 also increased with age, chromosome X being the more sensitive. Treatment of lymphocytes with vincristine and demecolcine increased micronucleus frequency and malsegregation of chromosomes X and 8 in both age groups. Comparison of the estimated frequencies of micronucleation and non-disjunction for all human chromosomes showed that non-disjunction is the main type of chromosome malsegregation.
authors.affiliation: Division of Genetics, Cell and Developmental Biology, Department of Biology, University of Patras, 26500, Patras, Greece.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bakou
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Stephanou
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Andrianopoulos
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Demopoulos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000782:Aneuploidy; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002453:Cell Cycle; D002875:Chromosomes / Q000187:drug effects*; D002898:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 8 / Q000187:drug effects; D003703:Demecolcine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D015162:Micronucleus Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D009630:Nondisjunction, Genetic; D014750:Vincristine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014960:X Chromosome / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D014750:Vincristine; D003703:Demecolcine