title: Expression of folate sensitive and aphidicolin induced chromosomal fragile sites in familial neuroblastoma.
abstract: The expression of folate sensitive and aphidicolin induced fragile sites in the blood lymphocyte chromosomes of affected and unaffected members from 2 neuroblastoma families were studied. The subjects included 4 neuroblastoma patients, and 9 of their clinically healthy first degree relatives and corresponding number of age and sex matched controls. Lymphocytes cultured in folate deprived culture medium showed rare fragile sites at band p13.1 of chromosome 1, in a frequency of 3%-5% in all the 4 neuroblastoma patients. In aphidicolin treated cultures, the patients and unaffected members in neuroblastoma families, showed hypersensitivity to aphidicolin, as evidenced by the significant increase in percentage of aberration/cell (ab/c) and damaged cells (dc), over that of controls (P < 0.01). Aphidicolin induced fragile sites were more pronounced in chromosomes 1 and 2. A larger number of subjects have to be studied to prove whether altered fragile site expression may be a cytogenetic evidence for an individual or familial cancer predisposing genetic constitution.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Cancer Research, Regional Cancer Centre, Kerala, India. rcctvm@md2.vsnl.net.in
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ankathil
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kusumakumary
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Priyakumary
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Krishnan Nair
mesh_terms: D016590:Aphidicolin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D002871:Chromosome Banding; D043283:Chromosome Fragile Sites; D002873:Chromosome Fragility; D002878:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 1 / Q000187:drug effects*; D002889:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 2 / Q000187:drug effects*; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006397:Hematinics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007621:Karyotyping; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008297:Male; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D010375:Pedigree
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D006397:Hematinics; D016590:Aphidicolin; D005492:Folic Acid