Molecular cytogenetic characteristics of Down syndrome newborns.
Down syndrome (DS) is a multifactorial disorder with a high predisposition to leukemia and other malignancies. A change in the replication pattern from synchronous in normal genes to asynchronous in DS amniocytes has previously been reported. The objective of this study was to evaluate additional molecular cytogenetic factors which could re-emphasize the high correlation between DS cells and genetic instability. We found a higher rate of random aneuploidy in chromosomes 9 and 18 and a higher rate of asynchronous replication in the subtelomeric region or DS leukocytes than in cells from normal newborns. In addition, the telomere capture phenomenon was observed in the DS leukocytes but not in normal controls. The molecular cytogenetic factors observed in the DS individuals are known to correlate with genomic instability and with predisposition to cancer.
Amiel
Aliza
A
Genetic Institute, Meir Medical Center, 44281, Kfar-Saba, Israel. amielaliza@clalit.org.il.|Faculty of Life Science, Bar Ilan University, Israel. amielaliza@clalit.org.il.
Goldzak
Galit
G
Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Israel.
Gaber
Elena
E
Genetic Institute, Meir Medical Center, 44281, Kfar-Saba, Israel.
Fejgin
Moshe D
MD
Genetic Institute, Meir Medical Center, 44281, Kfar-Saba, Israel.|Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Israel.