Chromosomal instability in BRCA1- or BRCA2-defective human cancer cells detected by spontaneous micronucleus assay

Ban S, Shinohara T, Hirai Y, Moritaku Y, Cologne JB, MacPhee DG
Mutat Res 474:15-23, 2001

Summary

The BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene products are believed to play an important part in the onset and/or development of many sporadic mammary cancers. Recently, it has been reported that these two proteins contribute to a centrosome function which is believed to help maintain the integrity of the chromosome segregation process. This may mean a reduced level of the BRCA1 or BRCA2 protein in mammary cells will occasionally lead to nondisjunctional chromosomal loss or gain. We now report that spontaneous micronuclei arising from chromosome(s) which fail to be incorporated into the relevant daughter nuclei during mitosis tend to occur more frequently in BRCA1- or BRCA2-detective human cancer cells than in BRCA-positive cancer cells. Some cases of mammary carcinogenesis may therefore stem from the loss of integrity of chromosome segregation in cells which have a reduced capacity to express either BRCA1 or BRCA2. Reprinted from Mutation Research, Vol 474, Ban S, Shinohara T, Hirai Y, Moritaku Y, Cologne JB, MacPhee DG, Chromosomal instability in BRCA1- or BRCA2-defective human cancer cells detected by spontaneous micronucleus assay, pp 15-23, Copyright (2001), with permission from Elsevier Science. Mutation Research Home Page