RESUMO
Objective To explore the chromosome features of pancreatic cancer cell lines from Chinese patients. Methods G-band Chromosome karyotyping was performed on pancreatic cancer cell lines of PC1, PC2, PC3, PC4 and PC7 that were established in our laboratory. The results of cytogenetic analysis were confirmed by fluorescence in situ hybridization using Chromosome 3, 13 18 and 20 paint probes. Results All the 5 cell lines were hypotriploid and showed a modal number of 58 for PC1, 56 for PC2, 61 for PC3, 53 for PC4 and 54 for PC7 with different proportion of complex chromosome rearrangements including dicentric chromosomes, double-minute chromosomes, ring chromosomes, acentric fragments or complex chromosome translocation, etc. Conclusion Hapotriploid accompanied with complex numerical and structural chromosomal rearrangements is the main cytogenetic marker of chromosomal instability in pancreatic cancer cell lines. Molecular cytogenetic techniques have to be used beside conventional G-band karyotyping for accurate identifying abnormal chromosomes of pancreatic cancer cell lines.