THE USE OF FLUORESCENCE IN-SITU HYBRIDIZATION WITH A BETA-SATELLITE DNA-PROBE FOR THE DETECTION OF ACROCENTRIC CHROMOSOMES IN VANADIUM-INDUCED MICRONUCLEI

Vanadium salts have been shown to be aneuploidogenic in human lymphocy te cultures. In particular, increases in the frequency of chromosome s atellite associations and a high proportion of induced micronuclei wit h centromeric signals seem to be connected with chromosome malsegregat ion mechanisms in which acrocentric chromosomes may be involved. Our a im was to assess the contribution of these chromosomes to the formatio n of vanadium-induced micronuclei by applying the fluorescence in situ hybridization technique to the human lymphocyte micronucleus assay. W hole blood cultures were treated after 24 h with 0, 10, 40, and 80 mu M sodium orthovanadate or vanadyl sulfate and harvested at 72 h; vinbl astine, 20 ng/ml, was used as a reference compound. The slides were th en hybridized with biotin-labeled beta-satellite DNA probes specific f or all human acrocentric chromosomes. After chemical treatment, the pe rcentage of micronuclei with fluorescent signals was found to be stati stically higher than that in control cultures, whereas vinblastine ind uced only a slight increase in micronuclei.