Defining a common region of DNA amplification at 22q11.2-12 in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas by quantitative FISH analysis

By comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) with 17 head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cell lines, we previously detected an amplified region as a distinct peak at 22q11.2-12 in 3 cell lines. Because the possible presence of an oncogene was strongly suggested, the region was mapped in more detail by defining the minimum region that was commonly amplified by using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with a series of cosmids. Eighteen cosmid clones on 22q11.2-12 were assigned to their locations as a fractional length map and hybridized to cells from three HNSCC cell lines. The three cosmid clones, cHKA-118, cHKAD-26, and D22S938, showed the highest levels of amplification, and the size of the amplicon was calculated to be ~ 1.7 Mb in the OMI and HSC6 cell lines. Several genes related to oncogenesis, including PRKMI, map to this locus. Thus, the definition of the common region with the highest level of copy number increases by FISH provides a starting point for identifying the gene that may play an important role in the development of HNSCC. (C) 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.