Extensive loss of heterozygosity accounts for differential mutation rate on chromosome 17q in human lymphoblasts

In order to investigate the influence of loss of heterozygosity (LOH) events on mutation rate, we studied two closely related human lymphoblastoid cell lines, AHH-1 (h2E1.v2) and MCL-5, which are heterozygous at the tk locus (chromosome 17q23-25). Although they have similar mutant fractions at the hprt locus, the mutant fraction and rate at tk is four to five times higher in AHH-1. Analysis of 58 spontaneous TK- mutants from AHH-1 and MCL-5 showed that the occurrence of LOH events was more frequent (23/24) in AHH-1 than MCL-5 (16/34). A set of five microsatellite polymorphism loci was used to map the extent of LOH along chromosome 17q. In AHH-1 cells, 15/23 of the LOH events encompassed at least 35% of the sex-averaged genetic length of chromosome 17q (98 cM). Additionally, the next most extensive category of LOH accounted for 5/23 TK- mutants, and encompassed at least 17 cM. In contrast, LOH events observed in MCL-5 are very restricted in extent; only one LOH tract extended as far as 4 cM from tk. The higher mutation rate at tk in AHH-1 can, therefore, be entirely attributed to the recovery of chromosomal scale LOH in viable, normal growth TK- mutants. Furthermore, these data demonstrate that the regional potential for LOH is likely to be an important determinant of mutation rate for loci within that chromosomal segment.