Detailed deletion mapping of chromosome 9q in bladder cancer: evidence for two tumour suppressor loci.

Loss of heterozygosity (LOH) at loci on chromosome 9p and/or 9q is the most frequent genetic alteration in transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the bladder. However, localisation of the tumour suppressor locus or loci on 9q has been hampered by the relative infrequency of tumours with subchromosomal deletions. We have used 24 microsatellite markers to examine LOH in 70 new cases of TCC of the bladder and upper urinary tract. Forty tumours (57%) showed LOH at one or more loci on 9q and partial deletions were detected in five tumours (7%). Combined data from the five cases with partial deletions place one tumour suppressor locus at 9q34 between D9S61 and D9S66 (an estimated distance of 13-14 cM). This region is frequently deleted in other sporadic tumours and encompasses one of the loci for tuberous sclerosis (TSC1). One tumour contained a distinct deletion between D9S153 and D9S109 (9q13-q31), which encompasses the locus for the familial nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome (Gorlin syndrome). This may indicate the presence of another tumour suppressor locus on 9q for TCC. Our findings significantly reduce the regions of 9q within which suppressor genes for TCC may reside. The possible involvement of two deletion targets on 9q in addition to the locus at 9p21 implicated in TCC may explain why LOH at all loci on chromosome 9 is frequent in TCC.