Patterns of exchange induced by mitomycin C in C-bands of human chromosomes. I. Relationship to C-band size in chromosomes 1, 9, and 16

Chromosome-specific induction of micronuclei and chromosomal aberrations by mitomycin C: Involvement of human chromosomes 9, 1 and 16

Cytogenetic studies have shown that human chromosomes 1, 9, and 16, with a large heterochromatic region of highly methylated classical satellite DNA, are prone to induction of chromatid breaks and interchanges by mitomycin C (MMC). A couple of studies have indicated that material from chromosome 9, and possibly also from chromosomes 1 and 16, are preferentially micronucleated by MMC. Here, we further examined the chromosome-specific induction of micronuclei (MN; with and without cytochalasin B) and chromosomal aberrations (CAs) by MMC. Cultures of isolated human lymphocytes from two male donors were treated (at 48 h of culture, for 24 h) with MMC (500 ng/ml), and the induced MN were examined by a pancentromeric DNA probe and paint probe for chromosome 9, and by paint probes for chromosomes 1 and 16. MMC increased the total frequency of MN by 6-8-fold but the frequency of chromosome 9 -positive (9+) MN by 29-30-fold and the frequency of chromosome 1 -positive (1+) MN and chromosome 16 -positive (16+) MN by 12-16-fold and 10-17-fold, respectively. After treatment with MMC, 34-47 % of all MN were 9+, 17-20 % 1+, and 3-4 % 16+. The majority (94-96 %) of the 9+ MN contained no centromere and thus harboured acentric fragments. When MMC-induced CAs aberrations were characterized by using the pancentromeric DNA probe and probes for the classical satellite region and long- and short- arm telomeres of chromosome 9, a high proportion of chromosomal breaks (31 %) and interchanges (41 %) concerned chromosome 9. In 83 % of cases, the breakpoint in chromosome 9 was just below the region (9cen-q12) labelled by the classical satellite probe. Our results indicate that MMC specifically induces MN harbouring fragments of chromosome 9, 1, and 16. CAs of chromosome 9 are highly overrepresented in metaphases of MMC-treated lymphocytes. The preferential breakpoint is below the region 9q12.

Mitomycin C-induced pairing of heterochromatin reflects initiation of DNA repair and chromatid exchange formation

Chromatid interchanges induced by the DNA cross-linking agent mitomycin C (MMC) are over-represented in human chromosomes containing large heterochromatic regions. We found that nearly all exchange breakpoints of chromosome 9 are located within the paracentromeric heterochromatin and over 70% of exchanges involving chromosome 9 are between its homologues. We provide evidence that the required pairing of chromosome 9 heterochromatic regions occurs in G(0)/G(1) and S-phase cells as a result of an active cellular process initiated upon MMC treatment. By contrast, no pairing was observed for a euchromatic paracentromeric region of the equal-sized chromosome 8. The MMC-induced pairing of chromosome 9 heterochromatin is observed in a subset of cells; its percentage closely mimics the frequency of homologous interchanges found at metaphase. Moreover, the absence of pairing in cells derived from XPF patients correlates with an altered spectrum of MMC-induced exchanges. Together, the data suggest that the heterochromatin-specific pairing following MMC treatment reflects the initiation of DNA cross-link repair and the formation of exchanges.

Translocation 1;7 in hematologic disorders: a brief review of 22 cases

A translocation t(1;7)(p11;p11), previously reported in patients with myelodysplasia or leukemia has been found in seven new cases. The present report briefly reviews the cytogenetic and clinical features of 22 patients with this translocation. The majority of these patients had a history of occupational or therapeutic exposure to toxic substances or radiation. Trisomy 8 or 21 were the most common additional abnormalities, especially in leukemic patients. The t(1;7) should be added to the group of specific cytogenetic abnormalities observed frequently in secondary myelodysplasia and leukemia.

Patterns of exchange induced by mitomycin C in C-bands of human chromosomes. II. High frequency of Y-Y exchange in XYY cells

In XY cells, exchanges in the Y C-band were rare (less than 0.8%). However, in XYY cells we observed 58 Y chromosomes involved in exchange out of 208 (28%). Most were Y-Y interchanges. Therefore mitomycin C does affect Y C-bands, but subsequent interchange requires the presence of a homologue. This may be the consequence of interphase association of the homologues, or by homologous interaction of an affected DNA sequence in the two Ys. If the latter, the proposed sequence cannot be localized to proximal or distal parts of the Y C-band, as exchange points were observed in both. Also, it may be oriented in one direction in the Y, as the Y-Y exchanges which could be unambiguously classified were X-type events.