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Published on: March 21, 2018
Assessment of clonality in gastrointestinal cancer by DNA fingerprinting
M F Fey1, R A Wells, J S Wainscoat
1Department of Haematology, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headington, Oxford, United Kingdom.
Abstract:
DNA fingerprinting with three different probes (33.15, 33.6, and alpha-globin 3'HVR) was investigated as a method for the determination of clonality in gastrointestinal tumors. In 29/44 carcinomas the tumor DNA showed clonal somatic mutations that were not seen in the corresponding peripheral blood and normal mucosa samples. The changes consisted of either novel fingerprint bands, losses of bands, or both. The probe 33.15 yielded the highest rate of abnormal DNA fingerprints (21/44 carcinomas). Sequential use of the probes increased the number of cases where clonal fingerprint markers could be detected. One out of five colorectal adenomas also showed a clonal loss of a fingerprint band. In two cases of gastric cancer, DNA from the metastatic tumor had a different DNA fingerprint from that found in the primary carcinoma. DNA fingerprinting offers a novel approach to determining clonality in tumors and may prove useful for the study of tumor progression.
Insights
DNA fingerprinting effectively identifies clonal somatic mutations in gastrointestinal tumors. This method reveals genetic changes in cancer DNA not present in normal tissues, aiding tumor progression studies.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Oncology
- Genetics
Background:
- Determining tumor clonality is crucial for understanding cancer development and progression.
- Traditional methods for assessing clonality can be complex and time-consuming.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate DNA fingerprinting as a method for detecting clonality in gastrointestinal tumors.
- To assess the efficacy of different DNA probes for identifying somatic mutations.
Main Methods:
- DNA fingerprinting was performed on tumor DNA and matched peripheral blood/normal mucosa samples.
- Three probes (33.15, 33.6, and alpha-globin 3'HVR) were used to detect clonal somatic mutations.
- Analysis focused on novel fingerprint bands, loss of bands, or both.
Main Results:
- Clonal somatic mutations were detected in 29 out of 44 carcinomas.
- Probe 33.15 identified abnormalities in 21 carcinomas, showing the highest detection rate.
- Sequential probe use increased the detection of clonal markers; one adenoma and two metastatic gastric cancers also showed clonal changes.
Conclusions:
- DNA fingerprinting is a viable method for determining clonality in gastrointestinal tumors.
- This technique can identify novel somatic mutations indicative of tumor development.
- DNA fingerprinting may offer insights into tumor progression and metastasis.
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