Detection of chromosome 17 aneuplody and TP53 gene deletion in a broad variety of solid tumors by dual-color fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH)

TP53 is a tumor suppressor gene located on chromosome 17p13.1. This gene is essential for the control of cell cycle and has been found altered in about 50% of all tumor types. The presence of aneuploidy of chromosome 17 and TP53 gene deletion at 17p13.1 locus was determined in primary solid tumors using the dual-color FISH (fluorescence in situ hybridization). Thirty-eight samples consisted of several types of primary solid tumors. All samples were mechanically and enzymatically disaggregated with 0.2% collagenase prior to obtaining interphase nuclei. The dual-color FISH was performed using direct fluorescent labeling probes for the chromosome 17 centromere (green signal) and for the TP53 gene locus-specific (orange signal). Characteristic aneuploidy on chromosome 17 was found in 63% (24/38) of the samples. Monosomy occurred most frequently (75%, 18/24), followed by trisomy (17%, 4/24); nullisomy and tetrasomy were less frequent. TP53 gene deletion was found in 89.5% (34/38) of cases. Only four tumors were normal for copy number of chromosome 17 and TP53 gene. The histopathologic study showed that most of the samples were malignant tumors. Aneuploidy of chromosome 17 and deletion at 17p13.1 locus of TP53 gene were genetic alterations found to be very frequent in solid tumors. The dual-color FISH was able to detect both numerical and structural chromosomal abnormalities in interphase nuclei.