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Identification of genetically aberrant cell lineages in Wilms' tumors
Author(s) -
Weremowicz Stanislawa,
Kozakewich Harry P.,
Haber Daniel,
Park Seon,
Morton Cynthia C.,
Fletcher Jonathan A.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
genes, chromosomes and cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.754
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1098-2264
pISSN - 1045-2257
DOI - 10.1002/gcc.2870100107
Subject(s) - wilms tumour , wilms' tumor , identification (biology) , biology , genetics , computational biology , botany
Most Wilms' tumors contain several predominant cell types, of which a primitive blastemal population is often the most prominent. Other typical components include undifferentiated mesenchymal and epithelial cells, but it has not been demonstrated that these components are neoplastic. We used a combined cytogenetic and fluorescence in situ hybridization approach to determine the clonal relationship of different cell populations within six Wilms' tumors. Clonal numerical chromosome aberrations in three Wilms' tumors were found in blastemal cells, but not in mesenchymal cells. Loss of one WTl allele in two other tumors was detected in both blastemal and mesenchymal cells. Tetrasomy 18 in a sixth case was observed in mesenchymal and epithelial cells; blastemal cells could not be evaluated in this tumor. These findings demonstrate that mesenchymal and epithelial cells in some Wilms' tumors are neoplastic. Different histologic components in some Wilms' tumors derive from a single chromosomally aberrant ancestor which is most likely to be the primitive blastemal cell. Genes Chrom Cancer 10:40–48 (1994). © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.