Nature 243, 290 - 293 (01 June 1973); doi:10.1038/243290a0

A New Consistent Chromosomal Abnormality in Chronic Myelogenous Leukaemia identified by Quinacrine Fluorescence and Giemsa Staining

JANET D. ROWLEY

Department of Medicine, University of Chicago and Franklin McLean Memorial Research Institute, Chicago, Illinois 60637

CELLS from nine consecutive patients with chronic myelogenous leukaemia (CML) have been analysed with quinacrine fluorescence and various Giemsa staining techniques. The Philadelphia (Ph¹) chromosome in all nine patients represents a deletion of the long arm of chromosome 22 (22q-)^1,2. An unsuspected abnormality in all cells from the nine patients has been detected with these new staining techniques. It consists of the addition of dully fluorescing material to the end of the long arm of one chromosome 9 (9q+). In Giemsa-stained preparations, this material appears as an additional faint terminal band in one chromosome 9. The amount of additional material is approximately equal to the amount missing from the Ph¹ (22q-) chromosome, suggesting that there may be a hitherto undetected translocation between the long arm of 22 and the long arm of 9, producing the 9q+ chromosome.

References

1.	Chicago Conference. Standardization in human cytogenetics. The National Foundation—March of Dimes (1966).
2.	Paris Conference. Standardization in human cytogenetics. The National Foundation—March of Dimes (1972).
3.	Rowley, J. D., Blaisdell, R. K., and Jacobson, L. O., Blood, 27, 782 (1966).
4.	Rowley, J. D., Potter, D., and Mikuta, J., Stain Tech., 46, 97 (1971).
5.	Pearson, P. L., Bobrow, M., and Vosa, C. G., Nature, 226, 78 (1970).
6.	Sumner, A. T., Evans, H. J., and Buckland, R. A., Nature New Biology, 232, 31 (1971).
7.	Rowley, J. D., and Bodmer, W. F., Nature, 231, 503 (1971).
8.	Caspersson, T., Gahrton, G., Lindsten, J., and Zech, L., Exp. Cell Res., 63, 238 (1970).
9.	O'Riordan, M. L., Robinson, J. A., Buckton, K. E., and Evans, H. J., Nature, 230, 167 (1971).
10.	Rudkin, G. T., and Hungerford, D. A., Science, NY, 144, 1229 (1964).
11.	Whang-Peng, J., Canellos, G. P., Carbone, P. P., and Tjio, J. H., Blood, 32, 755 (1968).
12.	Ezdinli, E. Z., Sokal, J. E., Crosswhite, B. S., and Sandberg, A. A., Ann. Int. Med., 72, 175 (1970).
13.	Lobb, D. S., Reeves, B. R., and Lawler, S. D., Lancet, i 849 (1972).
14.	Rowley, J. D., Ann. Génét. (in the press).
15.	Manolov, G., and Manolova, Y., Hereditas, 69, 300 (1971).
16.	Mark, J., Levan, G., and Mitelman, F., Hereditas, 71, 163 (1972).