Specific chromosomal defects associated with metastatic potential in K-1735 melanoma clones. Involvement of chromosomes 4 and 14.

In this study we sought to identify specific cytogenetic defects associated with the metastatic phenotypes in clones isolated from the parental K-1735 murine melanoma. All nonmetastatic clones (C-3, C-10, and C-19) exhibited trisomy of chromosomes 1, 3, 12, and 15. The only structural defect present in these clones was an interstitial deletion in a chromosome 4. In contrast, the highly metastatic clones (C-4, M-2, BB1, and X-21) exhibited trisomy of chromosomes 1, 3, 12, and 15, plus structural abnormalities of chromosomes 4 and 14, with the net result of a deletion in both. Parental K-1735 cells and clone C-16 cells, which are intermediate in their metastatic potential, had some cells with 4 and 14 alterations and others with only a deletion of chromosome 4. Clone C-16 revealed other non-clonal structural abnormalities. Our results indicate that structural anomaly of chromosome 4 and numerical alterations of certain autosomes may be associated with tumorigenic properties. In addition, structural defect in chromosome 14 is associated with high metastatic potential of K-1735 melanoma cells.