CHROMOSOMAL-ABNORMALITIES IN GLIOBLASTOMA-MULTIFORME TUMORS AND GLIOMA CELL-LINES DETECTED BY COMPARATIVE GENOMIC HYBRIDIZATION

Comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) is a recent molecular cytogene tic method that detects and localizes gains or losses in DNA copy numb er across the entire tumor genome. We used CCH to examine 9 glioma cel l lines and 20 primary and 10 recurrent glioblastoma tumors. More than 25% of the primary tumors had gains on chromosome 7; they also had fr equent losses on 9p, 10, 13 and Y. The losses on chromosome 13 include d several interstitial deletions, with a common area of loss at 13q21. The recurrent tumors not only had gains on chromosome 7 and losses on 9p, 10, 13 and Y but also frequent losses on 6 and 14. One recurrent tumor had a deletion of 10q22-26. Cell lines showed gains of 5p, 7 and Xp; frequent amplifications at 8q22-24.2, 7q21-32 and 3q26.2-29 and f requent losses on 4, 10, 13, 14 and Y. Because primary and recurrent t umors and cell lines showed abnormalities of DNA copy number on chromo somes 7, 10, 13 and Y, these regions may play a fundamental role in tu mor initiation and/or progression. The propensity for losses on chromo somes 6 and 14 to occur in recurrent tumors suggests that these aberra tions play a role in tumor recurrence, the development of resistance t o therapy or both. Analysis of common areas of loss and gain in these tumors and cell lines provides a basis for future attempts to more fin ely map these genetic changes. (C) 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.