Detection of chromosomal 7 loss in myelodysplasia using an extremely polymorphic DNA probe

Abstract

Chromosomal loss is a characteristic feature of the myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). A method is described which detects chromosomal 7 loss in MDS by DNA analysis using a specific hypervariable region gene probe which has been cloned from a human DNA fingerprint. Loss of one of the chromosomal 7 homologues was demonstrated in 10/118 MDS patients; the ten patients include all the five patients which had previously been shown to have monosomy 7 by cytogenetic analysis. This technique makes it feasible to study serial samples from large numbers of patients for loss of chromosomal material and could be readily applied to the study of other human malignancies. Images Figure 1 Figure 2

Demonstration of acquired hemizygosity and clonality in acute lymphoblastic leukemia with chromosome 7 abnormalities using hypervariable DNA probes

“…They detect RFLPs in 99% (XMS31) and 97% (pXg3) in human populations (Wong et al, 1987). On Southern blots the shorter DNA fragment, because it contains fewer repeating units, always appears more pale than its longer allele (Thein et al, 1988). In order to determine the relationship between fragment length and band intensity, control blots were prepared using DNA from PB lymphocytes from chromosomally normal, healthy individuals.…”