Using G-banding technique, the chromosomes were studied in short-term cultures of 25 primary renal-cell carcinomas (RCC). Phytohaemagglutinin-stimulated peripheral blood lymphocytes or normal kidney cells of the same patients growing in primary cultures were analysed to define the constitutional karyotype. The modal chromosome number of 23 RCC's was found to be pseudo-diploid or near-diploid with only few structural rearrangements, 22 of the RCC's showed an aberration of chromosome 3, deletion of 3p, or translocation of different chromosome segments to the deleted chromosome 3, leading to the loss of variable segments of chromosome 3. The break-points in rearrangements of chromosome 3 clustered in the region 3p11.2-p13. Shortest-region overlap analysis localized a consistent change to a small area of 3p13-pter. In 8 of the 25 RCCs, the rearrangement of chromosome 3 was the only karyotype change determined, and 4 other tumours had only one chromosomal rearrangement in addition to the aberration of chromosome 3. These results suggest that the aberration of chromosome 3 is the first cytogenetic event in the clonal evolution of RCCs. Translocation 3;5 was preferentially involved in the rearrangements between chromosome 3p and other chromosomes. The breakpoint on chromosome 3 was constant at p13, but the breaks on chromosome 5 varied between bands q11.2 and q22. Monosomy 14 was observed in 10 cases and loss of Y chromosome was detected in 6 of 14 tumours obtained from male patients. Since the normal somatic cells were free of chromosomal aberrations, one may conclude that the loss of 3p13-pter segment is an acquired, consistent chromosomal aberration which marks human RCCs.

The results suggest that the consumption of home-made spirits is an additional risk factor for the development of alcohol-induced cirrhosis and may have contributed to high level of liver cirrhosis mortality in Central and Eastern Europe. Restrictions on supply and sale of alcohol from illicit sources are needed urgently to reduce significantly the mortality from chronic liver disease.

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It is shown that two parallel ion beams react at a rate that is independent of their density profiles when made to oscillate against each other in a two-dimensional scanning motion. An experimental set-up that makes use of this principle is described. Absolute cross sections obtained in this way are in good agreement with those obtained with the beams merging in the usual (static) mode. Cross sections for single-charge transfer between and in the energy range 5 - 4000 eV are presented and compared to other existing data.

There is in Estonia a range of alcohol-containing substances easily available at low cost. Some contain substantially higher concentrations of ethanol than commercial spirits and others also contain toxic long chain alcohols.

Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) using chromosome-specific alpha-satellite DNA probes for chromosomes 7, 8, and 12 was performed on paraffin-embedded tissue sections and touch imprint preparations of 53 cases of human prostate cancer. Subsequent haematoxylin and eosin (H & E) staining of the hybridized tissue sections allowed unambiguous assignment of hybridization signals either to tumour or to non-tumorous parenchyma. Fifty-three cases of human prostate cancer were evaluated for numerical aberrations of chromosome 7. Scoring 200 cells of tumour and non-tumorous parenchyma in each case revealed abnormalities exclusively in tumour parenchyma in 41 cases (77 per cent). Ten of 41 cases (24 per cent) showed trisomy 7, and 15 cases (37 per cent) monosomy 7 or trisomy 7 in combination with monosomy 7, respectively. Sixteen cases (39 per cent) exhibited polysomy 7 in cells of the tumour parenchyma. In the tumour tissue in one case, different polyploid clones (triploid, tetraploid) and polysomy 7 could be identified by double hybridization with chromosome-specific DNA probes for chromosome 7, plus 8 or 12. The indicated numerical aberrations of chromosome 7 were correlated with 78 per cent of advanced pathological stages or poorly differentiated tumours (pT3/4 or G3) of prostate carcinomas. A statistical analysis of the data revealed significant relationships of particular numerical abnormalities of chromosome 7 to different pathological categories (pT, G, pN) of tumour classification. For the T-classification, the frequency of cells carrying polysomy 7 and polysomy 7/+7 increases significantly from pT1 to pT3/4 (P = 0.022).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was performed on 15-micron-thick paraffin sections from prostatic carcinomas using a chromosome 7-specific alpha-satellite DNA probe. A confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM) was used for optical sectioning of the thick sections and reconstruction of 3D images. The number of FISH signals was determined by a gallery of optical sections evaluating only complete nuclei. To investiate the influence of section thickness and truncation and nuclei on scoring results, we compared the FISH data from 15-micron sections with signal counts obtained from 5-micron sections. The latter were evaluated by conventional fluorescence microscopy in the same tumor regions previously defined and marked on the slides. After statistical analysis of spot frequencies in tumor and non-tumorous cells (chi 2 test), we transferred the signal frequencies into a cytogenetic classification (-7, +7, polysomy 7). Based on this classification, most cases showed more than one chromosome 7 aberration type. Trisomy 7 (+7) became apparent in 15-micron thick sections in all 19 tumors, polysomy 7 (> 3 spots) in 18/19 cases, and monosomy 7 (-7) in 13/19 cases. In 5-micron sections, however, trisomy 7 and polysomy 7 were found in only 7/19 and 13/19 cases, respectively, and monosomy 7 in 7/19 cases. When comparing the classification results of tumor cells of the same tumor regions originating either from 5-micron or 15-micron sections, the following discrepancies were noted: in 15-micron sections exclusively, in 12/19 tumors, trisomy 7 was found; in 6/19 cases, polysomy 7; in 8/19 cases, monosomy 7. The high proportion of cases with tumor nuclei expressing only one hybridization signal of chromosome 7 in 15-micron sections could be confirmed as monosomy 7 in five selected cases by double-hybridization using centromere-specific probes for chromosomes 7 and 12. These results demonstrate that numerical chromosome 7 aberrations are more frequently observed in thick (15-micron) paraffin-embedded tissue sections by evaluating only complete nuclei. The use of routine sections (5-micron) for interphase cytogenetic analyses is compromised by a remarkable underestimation of the real chromosome copy numbers.