The Prostate 57:226 ^244 (2003) Spectral Karyotype (SKY) Analysis of Human Prostate Carcinoma Cell Lines Adrie van Bokhoven, 1 Aimee Caires, 2 Michael Di Maria, 2 Aline Passarini Schulte, 2 M. Scott Lucia, 1 Steven K. Nordeen, 1 Gary J. Miller, 1{ and Marileila Varella-Garcia 2 * 1 Department of Pathology,University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver,Colorado 2 Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology,Universityof Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver,Colorado BACKGROUND. Well-characterized in vitro model systems provide an invaluable tool for studying prostate cancer in the laboratory. Detailed karyotypes have been reported using modern techniques such as multiplex fluorescence in situ hybridization (M-FISH) and spectral karyotyping (SKY) for LNCaP, DU 145, NCI-H660, and PC-3 cell lines. However, karyotypic data for more recently established prostate carcinoma cell lines are still limited. METHODS. Classical (G-banding) and SKY analyses were performed on ten prostate carci- noma cell lines: 22Rv1, CWR-R1, DuCaP, LAPC-4, MDA PCa 1, MDA PCa 2a, MDA PCa 2b, PC-346C, PSK-1, and VCaP. RESULTS. Chromosomal abnormalities were identified in all cell lines, although the number and complexity varied greatly among them. PC-346C, established from a primary tumor, exhibited the lowest number (3) of clonal structural abnormalities, while DuCaP, established from a metastasis from a hormone-refractory patient, exhibited both the highest number (31) and largest complexity of structural abnormalities. In various subsets of these models, break- points were identified in chromosomal regions previously described as being involved in prostate cancer (e.g., 8p, 10q, 13q, and 16q). CONCLUSIONS. The present study provides a comprehensive karyotypic analysis of a large number of prostate carcinoma cell lines, and offers a valuable resource for future investigations. Prostate 57: 226 – 244, 2003. # 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc. KEY WORDS: cytogenetics; chromosomal abnormalities; G-banding; prostate cancer INTRODUCTION Prostate cancer continues to be the most diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of death from cancer in males in the United States [1]. Until recently, it has been very difficult to comprehensively define the chromosomal abnormalities associated with epithelial tumors, including prostate tumors. Major constraints for the classical karyotyping techniques were the poor spreading of highly polyploid metaphases and the frequent presence of complexly rearranged chromo- somes. The development of molecular-based techni- ques for karyotyping, such as spectral karyotyping (SKY) and multiplex fluorescence in situ hybridization (M-FISH), made it easier to identify abnormalities in chromosomes with poor morphology and to distin- guish the origin of the components even in highly rearranged chromosomes. { Deceased, May 25, 2001. Grant sponsor: USPHS; Grant numbers: CA-84269, CCSG P30- CA46934; Grant sponsor: Department of Defense; Grant number: DAMD17-00-1-0047. *Correspondence to: Marileila Varella-Garcia, PhD, Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, Campus Box B188, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, 4200 East 9th Avenue, Denver, Colorado 80262. E-mail: Marileila.Garcia@uchsc.edu Received 9 July 2003; Accepted 31 July 2003 DOI 10.1002/pros.10291 ß 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.