RAPID DETECTION OF KARYOTYPE CHANGES IN INTERPHASE BONE-MARROW CELLS BY OLIGONUCLEOTIDE PRIMED IN-SITU HYBRIDIZATION (PRINS)

Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) using DNA probes of several hundred or thousand base pairs in length enables the visualization of chromosomal aberrations in interphase nuclei. A new method for in situ labelling of chromosomes is the oligonucleotide primed in situ labell ing (PRINS) technique. So far, this has mainly been used to demonstrat e subtle changes in metaphase spreads. The aim of the present study wa s to investigate the suitability of PRINS for detecting chromosome gai ns or losses In interphase nuclei. This technique mas compared with FI SH analysis by examining the bone marrow cells of ten patients in whom the karyotypes mere known from conventional chromosome banding. Corre sponding results by both PRINS and FISH were obtained for chromosomes 1, 3, 7, 8, and Y in five patients with normal chromosome patterns, as well as in five patients with clonal karyotype changes, e.g., monosom y 7, trisomy 8, or loss of the Y chromosome. Being faster and approxim ately ten times less expensive, PRINS can replace FISH for detecting n umerical karyotype changes. (C) 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.