Chromosomal aberrations accumulate in polyploid cells of high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL).

Persistant infection with human papillomavirus (HPV) of the uterine cervix is related with cytological atypia (SIL), the oncogenic potential of which is unclear in a given time point of monitoring. HPV-induced genetic instability result in polyploidization as well as in low frequency random chromosome aberrations in squamous cells. In the present work we analyzed whether highly polyploid/aneuploid cells reflect genomic changes at the chromosomal level. 13 samples with the cytological diagnosis of HSIL were analyzed for HPV type and nuclear DNA content measured by laser scanning cytometry (LSC). Hyperdiploid cells with >5c and with >9c DNA content were further analyzed for numerical aberrations of the chromosomes 3 and 17 by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) following repositioning. Cells with >5c DNA content were found more frequently than cells with >9c DNA content (5-98 and 1-44 cells, respectively). The FISH analysis demonstrated frequent polysomies, however, the rate of aneusomy (other than 2, 4, 8 or 16 chromosome copies) was significantly higher in cells with >9c DNA content than in cells with >5c DNA content or the normal diploid cells. The imbalance of chromosome 3 and 17 copy number was also increased in cells with >9c DNA content. Moreover, in three out of the 13 analyzed HSIL samples, recurrent abnormal chromosome 3/17 ratio was demonstrated in a significant part of the cells, indicating a common origin of these cells. Highly polyploid/aneuploid cells in HSIL accumulate cytogenetic aberrations detectable by FISH analysis. These cells may reflect early changes with tumorigenic potential in a very concentrated fashion.