Identification of a 1-megabase consensus region of deletion at 1p36.3 in primary neuroblastomas

Background Deletion of the distal short arm of chromosome 1 occurs frequent ly in neuroblastoma. in addition, neuroblastoma has been described in child ren with constitutional deletions within 1p36, supporting the existence of one or more neuroblastoma suppressor genes within this region. Procedure. W e have pursued a 1p36 tumor suppressor gene identification strategy that ha s included deletion mapping of 566 primary neuroblastomas and 46 neuroblast oma-derived cell lines, and have determined the parental origin of the dele ted 1p homologue in 44 cases to determine whether there is evidence for gen omic imprinting within this region. Results and Conclusions. We have identi fied a 1-Mb consensus region of deletion within 1p36.3 defined by primary t umor deletions, constructed a physical map of the region that is being sequ enced to completion, and have identified and prioritized candidate genes wi thin this region for further analyses. (C) 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.