Chromatin structure changes suggest a compensatory response to c-myc gene amplification in malignant fibrous histiocytoma.

Changes in chromatin structure as determined from DNAse I hypersensitive site analysis are associated with c-myc amplification and increased transcript/protein levels in malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH) cell lines. A DNAse I hypersensitive site near the PO promoter region was observed in one MFH cell line (UR HCL 1), and in normal fibroblasts (HFF), but not in an MFH cell line with an amplified c-myc gene (P3C). A DNAse I hypersensitive site exclusive to P3C amplified c-myc was identified slightly 3' of exon one. No alterations in c-myc DNAse I hypersensitive site patterns were observed in HFF fibroblasts following serum release, when peak levels of c-myc transcript were induced. DNAse I hypersensitive site patterns associated with gene amplification may reflect a compensatory response by P3C cells to an abundance of c-myc transcript. Furthermore, elevated levels of protein in P3C cells provide additional evidence that amplified c-myc is an oncogene in MFHs.