DETECTION OF GENOMIC INSTABILITY IN LUNG-CANCER TISSUES BY RANDOM AMPLIFIED POLYMORPHIC DNA ANALYSIS

Genomic instability resulting in multiple mutations is believed to be a driving force in the carcinogenic process, In this study, the random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) technique, a simple PCR-based DNA po lymorphism assay system, was used for detecting genomic instability in lung cancer tissues, DNAs from 20 lung cancer (18 nonsmall cell lung cancers and two small cell lung cancers) and their corresponding norma l tissues were amplified individually by RAPD with seven different 10- base arbitrary primers, PCR products from RAPD were electrophoreticall y separated in agarose gels and banding profiles were visualized by et hidium bromide staining, The ability to detect genomic instability in 20 cancer tissues by each single primer ranged from 15 to 75%. DNA cha nges were detected by at least one primer in 19 (95%) cancer tissues, These results seem to indicate that genomic rearrangement is associate d,vith lung carcinogenesis and that RAPD analysis is useful for the de tection of genomic instability in lung cancer tissues.