Allelotype of uterine leiomyomas

Uterine leiomyomas are the most common benign tumor that arise from smooth muscle cells of the myometrium. Little is known about the etiology and path ogenesis of this tumor. To investigate the molecular pathogenesis of these tumors, we have conducted an allelotype of 102 leiomyomas from 12 patients, using 67 fluorescently-tagged oligonucleotide primers amplifying microsate llite loci covering all autosomes. No areas of the genome showed frequent l oss of heterozygosity (LOH); however, the highest rate of LOH (9%) was obse rved on 7q, consistent with previous cytogenetic observations. Uterine leio myomas are sometimes multiple. In general, multiplicity of other types of n eoplasm is associated with genetic predisposition to the disease. Because m ultiple tumors were available from each of the 12 patients studied we looke d for evidence of allele-specific LOH, which might indicate the presence of an underlying predisposition gene. However, no evidence fbr allele-specifi c LOH was detected, indicating that if cases of multiple uterine leiomyoma are due to an underlying predisposition gene, it is unlikely to be a recess ive oncogene. (C) Elsevier Science Inc., 1999. All rights reserved.