Objective: To investigate if there are microsatellite loci in the long arm of chromosome 6 that have close relationship with non-small cell lung cancer.
Methods: Multiple PCR approach was used to analyze the 18 loci in the long arm of chromosome 6. The PCR products were analyzed in PAGE, and then the electrophoresis maps were analyzed with Gene Scan(TM) and Genotyper(TM).
Results: There were different frequencies of loss of heterozygosity (LOH) in different loci (varying from 3.85% to 38.45%). The total frequency of LOH in 41 gastric cancers was 58.5%(24/41). Eight loci with the LOH frequency higher than 20% were mainly located in 2 regions: 6q24 and 6q27. The accurate location is 6q24-6q25.3 [D6S1699(35%), D6S409(23.33%), D6S441(33.33%)] and 6q26-27 [D6S1550(38.45%), D6S264(20%), D6S1585(25%), D6S446(33.33%), D6S281(30.77%)].
Conclusion: There may be tumor suppressor genes located in the region of 6q24 and 6q27, which have close relationship with non-small cell lung cancer.