Global DNA Hypomethylation following 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine treatment induces aneuploidy in HCT-116 tumor cells.

Aneuploidy, the alteration of the normal number of chromosomes, is found in most of the human solid tumors and correlated with to defects in the process of chromosome segregation (1). It was also suggested that the alteration of the 5-methylcytosine (5-mC) pattern in the chromosome pericentromeric region, generated to aneuploid cells (2, 3). To investigate the relationship between hypomethylation and whole chromosome aneuploidy, we treated HCT-116 cells, a near diploid line, with the demethylating agent 5-aza- 2'-deoxycytidine (DAC). The treatment with DAC for 24, 48 and 72 hours produced a progressive reduction of DNA methylation as shown by decrease of 5-mC signal. DNA hypomethylation res…