Deoxyribonucleic acid in human tumours as measured by microspectrophotometry of feulgen stain: A comparison of tumours arising at different sites

Abstract

1. The DNA contenit of individual cells of lhumain ntormal an1d iiualignamit tissues were estimiated by a iicrospectrophotometric method after Feulgeni stainiing. 2. While normal polymorphonuclear leucocytes, lymphocytes, plasmna cells anld fibroblasts were found to have almost ideintical amounts of DNA, two specimens of non-maligniant tissue from the cervix uteri and two of endometrium each gave mnodal values which were about 10 per cent higher than the mean of the leucocytes present in the same specimemi. Apart from a few cells with doubled DNA comitenlt in the epithelial tissues, these cell-types showed little variation in any one sample. 3. In conitrast, 17 tumour samples from 12 different sites showed colnsiderable variation in their DNA content. From the frequency histograi for each tumour, a " basic " modal DNA value was derived. As a standard of comparison, the mnean DNA value of a samiple of the polymorphonuclear leucocytes present ill the tumour was determined. 4. The basic modal values of the tumuours fell iinto two approximately equal groups: (i) 10-30 per ceint abovre the conitrol polyimorph value; (ii) in the regiont of twice the polymorph value. In onie tumour the basic DNA value was 10 per cent above the control polymorph value (i.e. equal to that of the- corresponding normal tissue), while the basic values of the remaining tumours were greater than 10 per cent above the control polymorph value. 5. The results are discussed in relation to variation in chromosome complement; the presence of a modal DNA value in tumours, which frequently appears to be different from that of the homologous normal tissue, is considered in relation to the stem-line concept of tumour growth. We would like to thank Prof. B. W. Windeyer and Prof. J. T. Randall, F.R.S. for encouragement and facilities, Dr. H. B. Fell, F.R.S. and Dr. A. Glucksmann for advice, and our fellow workers at King's College for discussion. Thanks are also due to the members of the staff of Mount Vernon Hospital who made available the material used in this study; to Dr. K. T. Weavers for the histological reports; and to Mr. -D. Doxey who helped in the preparation of the diagrams. We also wish to acknowledge the financial support given to us by the British Empire Cancer Campaign. © 1956, The British Empire Cancer Campaign for Research. All rights reserved.