DNA aneuploidy and centrosome amplification in canine tumor cell lines

Abstract

DNA aneuploidy, the altered DNA content of a cell, is a common feature of canine tumors. However, it is unclear whether aneuploid DNA in canine tumor cells show centrosome amplification (CA), which contributes to numerical and structural chromosome aberrations that result in DNA aneuploidy. Here, we evaluated whether DNA aneuploidy and CA occur concurrently in canine tumor cell lines. Centrosome numbers were evaluated in 18 canine tumor cell lines by immunocytochemistry with anti-γ-tubulin antibody, and DNA content was evaluated by flow cytometry using propidium iodide. A total of 15 cell lines showed DNA aneuploidy, and CA was observed in 5 of these 15 cell lines. Together, our results suggest that DNA aneuploidy in canine tumor cells might be explained at least in part by CA. In addition, cell lines with CA may be useful tools to examine the detailed relationship between CA and DNA aneuploidy and the molecular mechanism of CA in canine tumor.