REPRESENTATIONAL DIFFERENCE ANALYSIS AND LOSS OF HETEROZYGOSITY STUDIES DETECT 3P DELETIONS IN NEUROBLASTOMA

In an attempt to identify genes involved in neuroblastoma, we scanned neuroblastoma tumour DNAs for homozygous deletions by representational difference analysis (RDA). The RDA produced several difference produc ts, nine of which represented hemizygous deletions located on chromoso me 1 or 3. In order to detect deletions, a genomewide loss of heterozy gosity (LOH) screening with polymorphic markers was performed. Allelic losses on a number of different chromosomes were detected, mainly in favourable neuroblastomas (stage 1, 2 and 4S). The most frequently del eted region, apart from Ip, was chromosomal region 3p. A more detailed study was made in this region, which showed that 9 out of 58 (16%) te sted neuroblastoma tumours showed allelic loss in the same region on c hromosome 3p, i.e. 3pter-14.2. Thus, both RDA and LOH studies showed c hromosome region 3p as being frequently involved in deletions and/or r earrangements in neuroblastoma tumours. Therefore, it is possible that : one or more of the 3p genes implicated in the development of other c ancers also play a role in neuroblastoma development and/or progressio n. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.