Amniocytes from aneuploidy embryos have enhanced random aneuploidy and signs of senescence - can these findings be related to medical problems?
OBJECTIVE
Genomic aneuploidy is a common cause of human genetic disorders. Individuals with aneuploidy tend to develop malignancies. Recent studies correlated aneuploidy with early aging, senescence and organ dysfunction. This study investigated potential explanations for these increased risks by evaluating random aneuploidy and senescence rates in amniocytes from fetuses with aneuploidy.


METHODS
The rates of random aneuploidy in amniocytes from normal pregnancies were evaluated and compared to amniocytes from fetuses with trisomies 21, 18 and 47,XXY using a FISH technique with X+Y, 9 and 18 probes. Senescence was evaluated by calculating the percentage of amniocytes with fragmented nuclei: senescence associated heterochromatin foci (SAHF), using DAPI staining.


RESULTS
Significantly increased rates of cells with aneuploidy were observed in trisomies 18 and 21, and 47,XXY (p<0.001) compared to the control group for the somatic and sex chromosomes. Increased rates of amniocytes with SAHFs were observed among the trisomy samples compared to the control group.


CONCLUSIONS
Higher incidence of random aneuploidy and senescence were observed in amniocytes from fetuses with trisomy. These findings might explain the greater lifetime tendency to develop malignancies and diseases related to early aging in these individuals.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Meir Medical Center, Kfar Saba, Israel; Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. Electronic address: shentalt@inter.net.il.com.
Tal
T
Biron-Shental
Genetic Institute, Meir Medical Center, Kfar Saba, Israel.
Meital
M
Liberman
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Meir Medical Center, Kfar Saba, Israel; Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Merav
M
Sharvit
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Meir Medical Center, Kfar Saba, Israel; Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; Genetic Institute, Meir Medical Center, Kfar Saba, Israel.
Rivka
R
Sukenik-Halevy
Genetic Institute, Meir Medical Center, Kfar Saba, Israel; Faculty of Life Science, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel.
Aliza
A
Amiel
D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000166:cytology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016922:Cellular Senescence; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014314:Trisomy
Amniocytes; Aneuploidy; Senescense