Localization by in situ hybridization of three 3p probes with respect to the breakpoint in a t(3;8) in hereditary renal cell carcinoma.

Three 3p probes were localized by in situ hybridization on chromosomes from a carrier of a balanced t(3;8) associated with renal cell cancer. For one of the probes (pH3E4/D3S48), a previous localization in 3p21 was confirmed; for a second probe (pHF12-32/D3S2), a broader localization could be confined to 3p21. Both probes appeared to be located distal to the breakpoint in 3p. The third probe (pMS1-37/D3S3) was localized to 3p14, in accordance with a previous localization. This probe, however, hybridized very weakly or not at all to either of the translocation products, although it is known from Southern analysis that the D3S3 sequence is present on one of them. We assume that this probe is located close to the breakpoint on 3p and that distortion of the higher-order chromosomal structure in this region is causing the failure of the in situ hybridization.