Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 30, 2026

Comparative Lesions Analysis Through a Targeted Sequencing Approach
Published on: November 5, 2019
Centromeric chromosomal translocations show tissue-specific differences between squamous cell carcinomas and
Mario Hermsen1, Antoine Snijders, Marta Alonso Guervós
1Department of Pathology, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. mhermsen@hca.es
Structural chromosomal aberrations, specifically whole arm translocations, are more frequent in squamous cell carcinomas than adenocarcinomas. Different centromeric instability mechanisms contribute to these chromosomal changes in epithelial tumors.
Area of Science:
- Genetics
- Cancer Biology
- Cytogenetics
Background:
- Epithelial tumors frequently exhibit structural chromosomal aberrations.
- Whole arm translocations are a significant type of chromosomal aberration observed in cancer.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the centromeric break locations in whole arm translocations between adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma cell lines.
- To investigate the underlying mechanisms of centromeric instability in these two major types of epithelial tumors.
Main Methods:
- Utilized Spectral Karyotyping (SKY), microarray-based comparative genomic hybridization (array CGH), and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH).
- Analyzed seven adenocarcinoma and nine squamous cell carcinoma cell lines.
Main Results:
- Whole arm translocations were significantly more frequent in squamous cell carcinomas (112 events) compared to adenocarcinomas (13 events).
- Array CGH showed breakpoints flanking centromeres in most cases.
- FISH revealed that squamous cell carcinomas had centromeres with material from both participating chromosomes, while adenocarcinomas had centromeres with material from only one chromosome.
Conclusions:
- Distinct mechanisms of centromeric instability contribute to the formation of chromosomal aberrations in squamous cell carcinomas and adenocarcinomas.
- These findings highlight differences in the cytogenetic evolution of these tumor types.
More Related Videos
10:27Testing Targeted Therapies in Cancer using Structural DNA Alteration Analysis and Patient-Derived Xenografts
Published on: July 25, 2020
11:50Genome-Wide Mapping of Histone Modifications and Transcription Factor Binding Sites in Neuroendocrine Small Cell Lung Cancer Cell Lines Using CUT&RUN
Published on: April 3, 2026
Related Concept Videos
Histone Variants at the Centromere
Non-LTR Retrotransposons
Cadherins in Tissue Organization
Cell Sorting During Development
Cell sorting plays an...