[Chromosome aberrations and cellular antigens]

Abstract

A possible role of chromosomal abnormalities in activation of cellular oncogenes is discussed. Data about the types of chromosomal aberrations characteristic of tumours and of expression of oncogenes localized in aberrant chromosomes are compared. For some oncogenes (c-myc, c-myb, c-abl, c-fes, c-fms) a more or less distinct correlation is observed between certain types of chromosomal abnormalities and increase of oncogene expression. On the contrary, one cannot observe such correlation for other group of oncogenes (c-fos, c-ets, c-mos, c-erb-A-1, c-sis, c-src). Chromosomal aberrations are probably one of the mechanisms of cellular oncogene activation during the carcinogenesis.