Karyotype analysis of tumorigenic human bronchial epithelial cells transformed by chrysolite asbestos using chemically induced premature chromosome condensation technique.

We examined karyotypic changes of tumorigenic human bronchial epithelial cell lines transformed by asbestos fibers. Using Calyculin A mediated premature chromosome condensation (PCC) assay and Giemsa-trypsin banding, we showed that the common changes of all tumorigenic cell lines were the loss of one or two copies of chromosome 5, the monosomy of chromosome 19 and the increased trisomy of chromosome 8. The results indicate that the karyotypic change of chromosome 5, 8 and 19 could play an important role in asbestos-induced tumorigenic conversion of human bronchial epithelial cells from an immortalized to tumorigenic state.