Concurrent Fluorescence in Situ Hybridization and Immunocytochemistry for the Detection of Chromosome Aberrations in Exfoliated Bronchial Epithelial Cells

A procedure was developed to allow concurrent detection of chromosome aberrations and identification of bronchial epithelial cells. Fluorescence in situ hybridization for chromosome 7 and immunocytochemistry for cytokeratin were performed on exfoliated bronchial epithelial cells in a sputum sample from a cancer patient. The Spectrum Orange-labeled alpha satellite probe for chromosome 7 produced red fluorescence, nuclei were counterstained with 4,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (blue), and cytokeratin was visualized using a fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-conjugated secondary antibody (green). This procedure allowed the rapid identification of airway epithelial cells with numerical chromosome aberrations in this sample. Ultimately, this procedure could increase the sensitivity and specificity of sputum cytology as a laboratory diagnostic tool for the early detection of lung cancer.