Frequency of Chromosome 17 Aneuploidy in Primary and Recurrent Pterygium by Interphase-Fluorescence in situ Hybridization

Abstract

Aim:To investigate chromosome 17 numerical aberrations by using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) in pterygia and to find out whether there is any association between chromosome 17 aneuploidy and recurrent pterygia. Methods: Pterygium tissue samples were taken from 21 patients by surgical excision. Eighteen of them had primaryand 3 had recurrent pterygium. Peripheral whole blood interphase cells obtained from 11 healthy subjects were assigned as control group. The cells from pterygium tissue and peripheral blood were incubated with a hypotonic solution and fixed in order to obtain interphase nuclei. FISH analysis with chromosome-17-specific α-satellite DNA probe was performed on both the interphase nuclei of pterygium tissue (of patients) and peripheral whole blood cells of controls. Results: The mean percentage of chromosome 17 aneuploidy was 4.71% for the pterygia group and 4.41% for the controls. No significant difference of chromosome 17 aneuploidy was observed between the patients and the controls. When the group of patients with recurrences was compared with the group without recurrences, there was a significant difference in the frequency of chromosome 17 aneuploidy (U = 17, p = 0.029). Conclusions: Chromosome 17 aneuploidy is probably not an important factor in the formation of pterygium, but it may be related to recurrence.