Detection of Aneuploidy by a Monochromosomal Hybrid Cell Assay

摘要

A short-term assay utilizing human/mouse monochromosomal hybrid cells to detect chemically-induced aneuploidy in mammalian cells is described. A single human chromosome transferred into mouse cells was used as a cytogenetic marker to quantitate abnormal chromosome segregation following chemical treatment. The human chromosome present in the mouse cells can be readily identified by differential staining procedures. The frequency of cells containing 0 or 2 human chromosomes in the progeny of chemically-treated monochromosomal hybrid cells provided a direct measure of aneuploidy. Researchers tested the sensitivity of the proposed system with three model chemicals (colcemid, cyclophosphamide, and benomyl) known to induce numerical or structural changes in chromosomes. The frequency of an abnormal segregation of the human chromosome was found to be dose dependent and consistently higher than controls. The system has the capability to detect gain as well as loss of a chromosome resulting from nondisjunction or other mechanisms leading to aneuploidy.