Genetic and epigenetic analysis of monozygotic twins discordant for testicular cancer.
Despite the notion that monozygotic (identical) twins share 100% identical genetic information, genetic differences among monozygotic twin pairs do occur and can be explained by mechanisms occurring during post-zygotic events. Despite such twins being fundamentally "identical", these post-zygotic genetic changes may give rise to phenotypic differences and genetic diseases. Consequently, studies of monozygotic twin pairs discordant for specific genetic diseases represent an important tool for the identification of disease genes. We used array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) and methylation arrays to search for genetic and epigenetic differences in blood drawn from four monozygotic twin pairs discordant for testicular germ cell tumors. No consistent differences were identified. A larger twin study would be required to achieve confident discovery of very subtle differences between monozygotic twins discordant for testicular germ cell tumors.
Clinical Genetics Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services Rockville, Maryland, USA ; Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Hannover Medical School Hannover, Germany.
Christian P
CP
Kratz
Genetics Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services Bethesda, MD, USA.
Daniel C
DC
Edelman
Genetics Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services Bethesda, MD, USA.
Yonghong
Y
Wang
Genetics Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services Bethesda, MD, USA.
Paul S
PS
Meltzer
Clinical Genetics Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services Rockville, Maryland, USA.
Mark H
MH
Greene
Testicular germ cell tumor; array CGH; epigenetics; familial cancer; methylation; twin study