Replication pattern in cancer: Asynchronous replication in multiple myeloma and in monoclonal gammopathy

In this study we evaluated the replication pattern and cell-cycle dynamics of cells from patients considered to have a premalignant condition (monoclo nal gammopathy, or MGUS) and patients with multiple myeloma (MM), as well a s healthy controls. like applied the fluorescence in situ hybridization (FI SH) technique with the TP53, RB-1 and 21q22 loci on the patient's cells. As ynchrony was determined by the presence of one single and one set of double dots in the same cell. The rare of asynchronic replication was significant ly higher in the cells from MM patients, with intermediate value in the cel ls from MGUS, while the lowest rate was in cells from controls. We suggest that these results may reflect the changes in gene replication and cell-cyc le progression that occur in premalignant and malignant cells. (C) Elsevier Science Inc., 1998.