Chromosome-mediated gene transfer of multidrug resistance.

Multidrug resistance can be transferred from drug-resistant LZ Chinese hamster cells to drug-susceptible mouse LTA cells by chromosome-mediated gene transfer. Analysis of genomic DNA demonstrated the transfer of multiple copies of a DNA domain which is amplified in the donor multidrug-resistant cells. The transfer of 10 to 15 copies of the Chinese hamster gene was sufficient to produce a multidrug-resistant phenotype. Chromosome transferents exhibited overexpression of an mRNA of approximately 5 kilobases which has previously been demonstrated to be encoded by the amplified DNA domain of the donor LZ cells. Phenotypic analysis of individual clones selected in adriamycin showed the resistance to be pleiotropic. All clones tested demonstrated similar levels of cross-resistance to the drugs daunorubicin and colchicine. These results indicate that the DNA sequences transferred confer the complete multidrug-resistant phenotype on recipient cells and suggest that multidrug resistance is due to overexpression of the protein encoded by the 5-kilobase mRNA.     

Number and size of human X chromosome fragments transferred to mouse cells by chromosome-mediated gene transfer.

Labeled probes of unique-sequence human X chromosomal deoxyribonucleic acid, prepared by two different procedures, were used to measure the amount of human X chromosomal deoxyribonucleic acid in 12 mouse cell lines expressing human hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase after chromosome-mediated gene transfer. The amount of X chromosomal deoxyribonucleic acid detected by this procedure ranged from undetectable levels in the three stable transformants and some unstable transformants examined to about 20% of the human X chromosome in two unstable transformants. Reassociation kinetics of the X chromosomal probe with deoxyribonucleic acid from the two unstable transformants containing 15 to 20% of the human X chromosome indicate that a single copy of these sequences is present. In one of these lines, the X chromosomal sequences exist as multiple fragments which were not concordantly segregated when the cells were selected for loss of hprt.     

A One-Step Gene Amplification System for Use in Cultured Mammalian Cells and Transgenic Animals

Gene amplification is widely used for the production of pharmaceuticals and therapeutics in situations where a mammalian system is essential to synthesise a fully active product. Current gene amplification systems require multiple rounds of selection, often with high concentrations of toxic chemicals, to achieve the highest levels of gene amplification. The use of these systems has not been demonstrated in specialised mammalian cells, such as embryonic-stem cells, which can be used to generate transgenic animals. Thus, it has not yet proved possible to produce transgenic animals containing amplified copies of a gene of interest, with the potential to synthesise large amounts of a valuable gene product. We have developed a new amplification system, based around vectors encoding a partially disabled hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT) minigene, which can achieve greater than 1000-fold amplification of HPRT and the human growth hormone gene in a single step in Chinese hamster-lung cells. The amplification system also works in mouse embryonic-stem cells and we have used it to produce mice which express 30-fold higher levels of human protein C in milk than obtained with conventional transgenesis using the same protein C construct. This system should also be applicable to large animal transgenics produced by nuclear transfer from cultured cell lines.     

Lipochromosome mediated gene transfer: Identification and probable specificity of localization of human chromosomal material and stability of the transferents

Summary Using lipochromosomes (phospholipid-entrapped chromosomes) we have transferred the human HGPRT gene into HGPRT deficient mouse cells (A9) with a frequency of approximately 1×10⁻⁵ (Mukherjee et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 75: 1361–1365; 1978). Two other genes located on the long arm of the human X-chromosome were also expressed in two independently derived populations of transferents (A9/GT3 and A9/GT4). We report here the chromosomal and enzymatic composition of human HGPRT-positive clones from each subpopulation analyzed in detail with alkaline Giemsa-11 staining. All the clones expressed human PGK and HGPRT, but one (A9/GT4C6) lacked human G6PD. In each of four clones examined microscopically, a small piece of presumptive human chromatin was visible in the karyotypes of most cells. The chromatin fragment was free or attached in each cell of an individual clone. When integrated, the human chromosomal fragment in each clone appeared associated with the centromere of the same telocentric A9 chromosome (No. 6 by Q-banding). These data suggest that: (a) substantial human chromosomal fragments can be transferred into recipient cells using the lipochromosome technique; (b) clones from human HGPRT positive A9 transferent subpopulations may or may not possess other human X-linked markers; (c) the stability of lipochromosomally transferred genes varied from clone to clone and stability is generally poor in the absence of continuous selection pressure (e.g., HAT); (d) when multiple X-linked human genes were transferred to mouse cells a cytologically detectable human chromosomal fragment was identified free or attached to a host chromosome; and (e) integration of transferred human chromosomal material into mouse chromosomes may occur at preferential site(s) in the recipient genome. This research was sponsored in part by the Office of Health and Environmental Research U.S. Department of Energy under Contract W-7405-eng-26 with the Union Carbide Corporation.     

Chromosome-mediated transfer of murine alleles for hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyl transferase (HGPRT) and ouabain resistance into human cell lines

Genetic drug-resistance markers were transferred via purified metaphase chromosomes from mouse L cells into the human fibrosarcoma line HT1080 and HeLa S3 cells. Interspecific chromosome-mediated transfer of hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyl transferase (HGPRT; EC 2.4.2.8) from mouse L cells into HGPRT^– HT1080 cells occurred at a frequency of approximately 1×10^–7. The presence of the mouse allele for HGPRT in transferent isolates was confirmed by isoelectric focusing. Transfer of ouabain resistance from mouse L cells to HT1080 and HeLa S3 cells occurred at an average frequency of approximately 4×10^–7. Expression of the mouse trait in transferent isolates was confirmed by their ability to withstand doses of ouabain which would be lethal to spontaneous ouabain-resistant mutants of the human cells but not to mouse L cells. Ouabain-resistant transferents of human cells showed 10⁴- to >10⁵-fold enhanced drug resistance, characteristic of either wild-type or mutant alleles, respectively, from ouabain-resistant donor L cells. Unstable expression of the transferred phenotypes in the absence of selection was seen in some isolates, but expression was lost at slow rates.This work was supported by National Institutes of Health Grant GM30383/21665 to RMB, Core Grants CA14051 to S. E. Luria and CA24538 to E. Mihich, and institutional predoctoral Training Grant GM07287.     

Radiation-induced HPRT mutations resulting from misrejoined DNA double-strand breaks

DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are the most severe lesions induced by ionizing radiation, and unrejoined or misrejoined DSBs can lead to cell lethality, mutations and the initiation of tumorigenesis. We have investigated X-ray- and alpha-particle-induced mutations that inactivate the hypoxanthine guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT) gene in human bladder carcinoma cells and in hTERT-immortalized human fibroblasts. Fifty to 80% of the mutants analyzed exhibited partial or total deletions of the 9 exons of the HPRT locus. The remaining mutants retained unaltered PCR products of all 9 exons but often displayed a failure to amplify the HPRT cDNA. Hybridization analysis of a 2-Mbp NotI fragment spanning the HPRT gene with a probe 200 kbp distal to the HPRT locus indicated altered fragment sizes in most of the mutants with a wild-type PCR pattern. These mutants likely contain breakpoints for genomic rearrangements in the intronic sequences of the HPRT gene that allow the amplification of the exons but prevent HPRT cDNA amplification. Additionally, mutants exhibiting partial and total deletions of the HPRT exons also frequently displayed altered NotI fragments. Interestingly, all mutations were very rarely associated with interchromosomal exchanges analyzed by FISH. Collectively, our data suggest that intrachromosomal genomic rearrangements on the Mbp scale represent the prevailing type of radiation-induced HPRT mutations.     

Radiation-induced genomic instability in tandem repeat sequences is not predictive of unique sequence instability

Tandem repeat sequences, classified as minisatellite sequences or partially duplicated genes, are inherently unstable. Radiation exposure can increase the instability of such repeat sequences, but the biological consequences of this elevated instability are not well characterized. To learn more about the characteristics of the instability at different sequences in the genome, we created mutant HT1080 cells bearing 8.4 kb of partially duplicated allele at the HPRT locus by gene targeting. The cells were then tested to determine whether repeat-sequence instability (assessed by elevated reversion rate caused by loss of one duplicated segment) accompanied increased forward mutation rates at the restored wild-type HPRT allele. After a 4-Gy X irradiation, 32 clones were selected (out of 500 clones, 6%) that showed elevated reversion rates even after many cell generations. These clones also showed general increases in the forward mutation rate, whereas the paired individual mutation rates did not correlate with each other. Furthermore, levels of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nuclear gamma-H2AX foci, which are hallmarks for DNA damage responses, were also generally elevated, although the levels did not correlate with the individual reversion rates. It was concluded that repeat sequence instability is not predictive of unique sequence instability, probably because the instability is generated by multiple mechanisms after radiation exposure.     

Eucaryotic chromosome transfer: production of a murine-specific cosmid library from a neor-linked fragment of murine chromosome 17.

We recently developed a procedure for the molecular analysis of specific mammalian chromosomal fragments. This procedure allows for the transfer of contiguous chromosomal fragments, varying in size from a fraction to several centimorgans in length, from the donor cell of one species into a recipient cell of a different species. Specifically, we inserted a neor gene, encoded by a recombinant retrovirus, into the murine major histocompatibility complex (MHC). Metaphase chromosome transfers with this neor-tagged chromosome into recipient hamster, primate, and canine fibroblasts produced a panel of primary neor transferents, each containing a portion of, or all of, the murine MHC. A cosmid library was made from one such transferent, CHMD(D)B1. Cosmid clones were divided, using species-specific repeat probes, into those containing murine (donor) DNA sequences and those containing sequences derived from the recipient cell. The murine-specific cosmids were clustered into overlapping DNA segments by restriction enzyme digest analysis of the cosmid DNAs coupled with Southern blot analysis with, as probes, murine-specific repeat sequences and nick-translated murine genomic DNA. These cosmid clusters were analyzed for their position within or outside of the MHC, using recombinant mouse strains, and for the presence within them of known murine MHC genes.     

DNA-mediated transfer of the mouse gene for hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase into cultured mouse cells: No integration of the transferred gene at its homologous site in the host genome

Summary An established Chinese hamster cell line was fused with microcells isolated from phenotypically stable transferent mouse cells which contained a mouse transgenome coding for an abnormal form of mouse hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT, EC. No. 2.4.2.8) (Willecke et al. 1979). Two hybrids were isolated which expressed the abnormal form of mouse HPRT but no mouse -galactosidase (GALA, EC. No. 3.2.1.22). In one of these microcell hybrids the abnormal HPRT activity segregated under counter-selective conditions with mouse chromosome 3. No mouse chromosome or additional mouse gene marker was found in the second microcell hybrid, possibly because of breakage and/or rearrangement of the integrated transgenome during the isolation of this hybrid. We conclude from these results that the transferred mouse HPRT gene in a phenotypically stable clone is not integrated at its homologous site on the host X chromosome. Rather, the transgenome is probably integrated into mouse chromosome 3, possibly due to homologies in repeated DNA sequences which may occur in the transgenome and which are interspersed at many sites in the host genome.     

Nucleotide sequence determination of point mutations at the mouse HPRT locus using in vitro amplification of HPRT mRNA sequences

Cloning of genomic and cDNA sequences of mammalian genes has made it possible to analyze at the molecular level mutations induced by radiation and chemical mutagens. The X-linked HPRT gene is very suitable for these investigations because in addition to the availability of cell culture systems, HPRT mutants can also be obtained directly from the lymphocytes of mouse and man. Recently a new technique has been introduced by Saiki and co-workers which allows the cloning and sequencing of small specific DNA segments from total genomic DNA after in vitro amplification of those segments up to 200,000-fold (Saiki et al., 1985). We have adapted this so-called polymerase chain reaction (PCR) procedure in such a way that the entire mouse HPRT-coding region could be amplified, cloned and sequenced. Instead of genomic DNA, we have used RNA as template in the PCR reactions. This allows us to detect point mutations in HPRT exon sequences in a very efficient way, since the DNA sequence of all 9 exons, which are scattered over 34 kb of DNA, can be obtained from only one amplification experiment. We studied the nature of 3 N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU)-induced HPRT mutants from cultured mouse lymphoma cells. One contains an A:T----G:C transition, the second an A:T----T:A transversion, whereas the third mutant is the result of abnormal splicing events, probably due to a mutation in the 3' splice site of the first intron.     

Elevated levels of erythrocyte hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase associated with allelic variation of murine Hprt

Murine stocks with wild-derived hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT) A alleles (Hprt a) have erythrocyte HPRT activity levels that are approximately 25-fold (Mus musculus castaneus) and 70-fold (Mus spretus) higher than those of laboratory strains of mice with the common Hprt b allele (Mus musculus: C3H/HeHa or C57B1/6). Since the purified HPRT A and B enzymes have substantially similar maximal specific activities (64 and 46 units/mg of protein, respectively), we infer that these HPRT activity levels closely approximate the relative levels of HPRT protein in these cells. Red blood cells of HPRT A and B mice have similar levels of adenine phosphoribosyltransferase activity (APRT; EC 2.4.2.7) and reticulocyte percentages, which suggests that the elevated levels of HPRT in erythrocytes of HPRT A mice are not secondary consequences of abnormal erythroid cell development. The HPRT activity levels in reticulocytes of HPRT B mice are approximately 35-fold higher than the levels in their erythrocytes and approach the HPRT activity levels in reticulocytes of HPRT A mice. Thus, the marked differences in the levels of HPRT protein in erythrocytes of HPRT A and B mice result from differences in the extent to which the HPRT A and B proteins are retained as reticulocytes mature to erythrocytes. The substantial and preferential loss of HPRT B activity from reticulocytes is paralleled by an equivalent loss of HPRT immunoreactive protein (i.e., CRM) from that cell, and we infer that the HPRT B protein is degraded or extruded as reticulocytes mature to erythrocytes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Amplification of DNA sequences coding for the Na,K-ATPase alpha-subunit in ouabain-resistant C+ cells.

We have studied the mechanism of cellular resistance to cardiac glycosides in C+ cells. C+ cells were resistant to ouabain and overproduced plasma membrane-bound Na,K-ATPase relative to parental HeLa cells. Overexpression of Na,K-ATPase in C+ cells correlated with increased ATPase mRNA levels and amplification (approximately 100 times) of the ATPase gene. Growth of C+ cells in ouabain-free medium resulted in a marked decline in ATPase mRNA and DNA levels. However, when cells were reexposed to ouabain, they proliferated and ATPase mRNA and DNA sequences were reamplified. Restriction analysis of C+ and other human DNA samples revealed the occurrence of rearrangements in the region of the Na,K-ATPase gene in C+ cells. Furthermore, C+ cells expressed an ATPase mRNA species not found in HeLa cells. These results suggest that amplification of the gene coding for Na,K-ATPase results in overproduction of Na,K-ATPase polypeptides. Amplification of the ATPase gene or the expression of new ATPase mRNA sequences or both may also be responsible for acquisition of the ouabain-resistant phenotype.     

Expression of human and Chinese hamster hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase cDNA recombinants in cultured Lesch-Nyhan and Chinese hamster fibroblasts

The results presented in this communication demonstrate that hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT) cDNA can be expressed in both Chinese hamster and human fibroblasts deficient in the endogenous gene product at levels permitting normal growth of the transformants. All the elements necessary for this expression are present in a pBR322-derived plasmid containing HPRT cDNA coding sequence and a retroviral long terminal repeat. These molecules function in both species investigated and, at least in the case of the Chinese hamster transformants, are efficient at the single copy level. Although the effects of the presence of intron sequences and a polyadenylation signal within the plasmids have yet to be evaluated, these studies demonstrate that neither is an absolute requirement for expression of HPRT cDNA sequences in cultured mammalian cells. We describe the construction of recombinant plasmids containing wild type human or Chinese hamster HPRT cDNA sequences in tandem with a retroviral LTR which confer the HPRT+ phenotype in HPRT-deficient V79 and Lesch-Nyhan fibroblasts. Both stable and unstable transformants, that expressed HPRT mRNA and protein, were isolated at high frequency.     

Transformation of the gene for hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase.

Purified DNA from wild-type Chinese ovary (CHO) cells has been used to transform three hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT) deficient murine cell mutants to the enzyme positive state. Transformants appeared at an overall frequency of 5 x 10(-8) colonies/treated cell and expressed CHO HPRT activity as determined by electrophoresis. One gene recipient, B21, was a newly isolated mutant of LMTK- deficient in both HPRT and thymidine kinase (TK) activities. Transformation of B21 to HPRT+ occurred at 1/5 the frequency of transformation to TK+; the latter was, in turn, an order of magnitude lower than that found in the parental LMTK- cells, 3 x 10(-6). Thus both clonal and marker-specific factors play a role in determining transformability. The specific activity of HPRT in transformant extracts ranged from 0.5 to 5 times the CHO level. The rate of loss of the transformant HPRT+ phenotype, as measured by fluctuation analysis, was 10(-4)/cell/generation. While this value indicates stability compared to many gene transferents, it is much greater than the spontaneous mutation rate at the indigenous locus. The ability to transfer the gene for HPRT into cultured mammalian cells may prove useful for mutational and genetic mapping studies in this well-studied system.     

MHC class II deletion mutant expresses normal levels of transgene encoded class II molecules that have abnormal conformation and impaired antigen presentation ability.

Successive transfers of HLA-DR alpha and beta genes restored expression of HLA-DR antigens to human B-lymphoblastoid cell line, LCL .174, from which all known expressible class II genes are deleted. While transferent cells displayed large amounts of DR on their surfaces, transgene-encoded DR3 molecules lacked a conformation-dependent epitope. DR1-restricted CTL lysis of DR1-expressing transferents pulsed with native influenza virus proteins was greatly reduced; the same cells were efficiently lysed in the presence of CTL-recognized influenza peptides. The properties of DR-expressing transferents of .174 suggest they are defective in producing peptides from exogenous proteins or in forming DR/peptide complexes. Comparison with other DR-expressing deletion mutants indicates that at least one gene in an approximately 230 kb DNA segment between the DQ1 and Ring 7 loci is needed for normal DR-mediated processing and presentation. Production of DR3 molecules having the conformation-dependent 16.23 epitope and efficient DR1-restricted presentation of influenza viral epitopes occurred in a B cell line that has a mutation specifically eliminating expression of the TAP1 transporter gene, which is in the approximately 230 kb interval and is needed for production of HLA class I/peptide complexes.     

Gene amplification as a mechanism of reversion at the HPRT locus in V79 Chinese hamster cells

Spontaneous phenotypic revertants of hypoxanthine phosphoribosyl-transferase (HPRT) temperature-sensitive V79 Chinese hamster cells were selected by plating a temperature-sensitive mutant in HAT medium at 39 degrees C. The incidence of such revertants was approximately 2 X 10(-4) per cell. The majority of the revertants examined had increases of between three- and tenfold in their specific activity of the enzyme, and they were able to grow continuously in the presence of HAT medium at 39 degrees C. When the revertants were cultivated in the absence of HAT, they recovered their HAT-sensitive phenotype and their lowered level of HPRT. Three of the revertants were examined for their temperature inactivation profiles, and all were found to have profiles identical to the ts parent, and quite different from the V79 wild type. The kinetic properties of the cell lines were studied: the Km for both PRPP and hypoxanthine was significantly different in the temperature-sensitive cells but was not significantly altered in the revertants with respect to the ts mutants. A specific antibody to Chinese hamster brain HPRT was employed in immunoprecipitation experiments. By measuring the point at which the immunoprecipitation of the antibody to HPRT was overcome by increasing concentrations of cell supernatant, it was possible to estimate the relative amount of enzyme molecules in the cell lines. From these data, it could be concluded that the revertants overproduced an enzyme with the same immunological properties as the ts line. Southern blots of the Hind III restricted DNA from the ts mutant and two revertant cell lines were examined with an HPRT cDNA probe. This established that the HPRT gene was amplified twofold in one of the revertants, and threefold in the other. However, if the revertants were reintroduced into nonselective medium, the gene copy number declined to one. Finally, northern blots of RNA extracted from the various cell lines demonstrated that the HPRT mRNA was augmented 1.5-fold in one revertant and 1.4-fold in the other. Reintroduction into non-selective medium resulted in a decline in mRNA level for the second mutant, whereas the first mutant appeared to be stabilized. We conclude that gene amplification and concomitant amplification of messenger RNA and enzyme levels are mechanisms of phenotypic reversion at the HPRT locus in Chinese hamster cells.     

Evaluating reference genes to normalize gene expression in human epileptogenic brain tissues

Several reference genes have been used to quantify gene expression in human epilepsy surgery tissue. However, their reliability has not been validated in detail, although this is crucial in interpreting epilepsy-related changes of gene expression. We evaluated 12 potential reference genes in neocortical tissues resected from patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) with either few or many seizures (n=6 each) and post mortem controls (n=6) using geNorm and NormFinder algorithms. For all candidate reference genes threshold cycle (C(T)) values were measured. geNorm analysis revealed that the expression of e.g. glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate-dehydrogenase (GAPDH) and hypoxanthine phosphoribosyl-transferase (HPRT) is unstable, whereas synaptophysin (SYP) and neuron-specific enolase (NSE)/mitochondrial 39S ribosomal protein L28 (MRPL) are most stably expressed. The geometric mean of SYP, NSE and MRPL levels is recommended as normalization factor (NF). NormFinder analysis, in contrast, indicated HPRT as the most stable single gene and recommended the geometric mean of TATA-box binding protein (TBP) and NSE levels as NF. Different values of upregulation of glial fibrillary protein (GFAP) expression were found in TLE tissue compared to control tissue depending on the NF used: 4.5-fold (geNorm-NF), 4.7-fold (NormFinder-NF), 4.2-fold (vs. GAPDH) and 7.8-fold (vs. HPRT). The expression of GABA(A) receptor subunit α5 (GARα5) was unaltered in the TLE groups compared to controls (geNorm-NF, NormFinder-NF, vs. GAPDH). However, normalization to HPRT suggests an apparent increase of GARα5 expression. In conclusion, the geNorm-NF (SYP/NSE/MRPL) and the NormFinder-NF (TBP/NSE) are equally suitable for normalization of gene expression in the human epileptogenic neocortex. In contrast, normalization to single and probably less stably expressed genes may not deliver accurate results.     

Multiplex DNA deletion detection and exon sequencing of the hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase gene in Lesch-Nyhan families

The Lesch-Nyhan (LN) syndrome is a genetically lethal human neurological disease that results from mutations that inactivate the hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT) gene. The elucidation of the complete DNA sequence of the human HPRT gene locus has enabled the construction of multiple oligonucleotide primer sets for the simultaneous in vitro amplification of all nine HPRT exons. The multiplex polymerase chain reaction provides a facile assay for the detection of HPRT exon deletions and the reaction products can be analyzed by direct automated fluorescent DNA sequencing to identify subtle alterations in the gene. Alterations have been identified in the HPRT genes from 15 independent LN cases, and 10 LN family studies were performed. The sequencing method uses solid supports and is sufficiently simple and sensitive to be a favored approach for LN diagnosis. LN heterozygotes can be diagnosed without reference to the affected male. In addition, these procedures will be useful for somatic mutagenesis studies.     

Stable gene amplification and overexpression of sodium- and potassium-activated ATPase in HeLa cells.

Cell lines stably resistant to ouabain were isolated from an unstably resistant HeLa line after growth in nonselective medium. Stable resistant lines bound ouabain at levels 10-fold higher than did HeLa cells and at similar levels to those bound by the unstable C+ line previously described (J. F. Ash, R. M. Fineman, T. Kalka, M. Morgan, and B. Wire, J. Cell Biol. 99: 971-983). Expression and synthesis of the Na+, K+ -ATPase alpha chain showed a similar amplification over that for HeLa cells by Western blots and [35S]methionine pulse-labeling. In addition, a glycoprotein labeled with [3H]fucose and comigrating with the Na+, K+ -ATPase beta chain was eight- to ninefold amplified in stably resistant lines. Dot blots with a cDNA clone specific for Na+, K+ -ATPase alpha chain gene sequences confirmed the amplification of this gene. Karyotyping suggested that the amplification is associated with an expanded, abnormal banded region on the long (q) arm of one chromosome 17.