AgNOR of human interphase cells in relation to acrocentric chromosomes

Using simultaneous detection of fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) t o acrocentric chromosome centromeres and argyrophilic nucleolar organizer r egions (AgNOR), we investigated the number of AgNOR and involvement pattern of acrocentric chromosomes in the nucleoli in various types of human inter phase cells. The number of AgNOR of normal gastric mucosal epithelial cells was 2.27 +/- 1.18 and was higher than that of lymphocytes (1.08 +/- 0.28) and lower than that of gastric cancer (7.76 +/- 3.21). The number of acroce ntric chromosome centromere signals of normal gastric mucosal epithelial ce lls was higher than that of normal leukocytes (P < 0.000), and lower than t hat of gastric cancer (P < 0.000). The acrocentric chromosome centromere si gnals in the lymphocytes and neutrophils rr ere only half of that expected for diploid cells, perhaps related to acrocentric chromosome association. T he proportion of acrocentric chromosomes attached to AgNOR in gastric cance r (0.88 +/- 0.22) nas significantly higher than that of normal gastric muco sal epithelial cells (0.72 +/- 0.35, P = 0.007). In conclusion. acrocentric chromosome association appears to be present in circulating leukocytes eve n in interphase. The number of AgNORs and proportion of acrocentric chromos omes involved in AgNORs in human interphase cells may vary according to cel l types. This could play a significant role in rDNA transcription and deter mination of cell phenotype, including malignant change. (C) Elsevier Scienc e Inc., 1999, All rights reserved.