Expression of aphidicolin, FUdR and caffeine-induced fragile sites in lymphocytes of healthy Turkish individuals

The expression of common fragile sites (c-fra) and frequency of chromosomal aberrations were studied in peripheral lymphocytes of 50 healthy Turkish i ndividuals (26 males and 24 females from 1 to 87 years of age) after induct ion with aphidicolin (APC), 5'-fluorodeoxyuridine (FUdR), and caffeine. A c orrelation was seen between age and the frequency of chromosomal aberration s in APC and caffeine treated cultures, but there were no significant diffe rences in the frequencies of chromosomal aberrations between males and fema les in any of the treatments. The mean frequency of aberrations induced by FUdR was significantly higher than that induced by APC and caffeine. A chro mosome aberration is defined as a fragile site when present in 1% of the ce lls analyzed from each culture and in at least 50% of the individuals studi ed. Using these criteria, 12 c-fra were observed in the three treatments: 1 p21, 1q21, 2p11-q11, 3p14, 4q31, 6q26, 7q22, 7q32, 8q24, 11q23, 16q23, and Xp22. Sites 3p14, 16q23, and Xp22 were the most frequently observed c-fra, with only the frequency of Xp22 being significantly increased in females in APC treated cultures. The results of these studies are important as a base against which the effects of other clastogenic and environmental agents, a s well as genetic background, can be compared.