Characterization of human centromeric localization patterns in non-diseased and renal cancer cells

Student: Sabrina Piana

Faculty Mentor: Lisa Hua

Biology

College of Science, Technology, and Business

Proper chromosome organization during cell division is important for genetic stability. When homologous chromosomes pair incorrectly, it has been correlated with gene misregulation and may contribute to cancer. In normal human cells, it is proposed that homologous chromosomes are kept apart along the centrosome axis to prevent genetic recombination. Haploid chromosome set organization in mitotic human cells follows a non-random pattern where homologous chromosomes remain spatially segregated along the centrosome axis throughout mitosis. We recently identified a low centromeric staining region along the centrosome axis in normal human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). This region of low centromeric staining may have a role in restricting haploid chromosome sets during mitosis. In Caki-1 renal cancer cells, chromosome 19 has been found to pair abnormally. I hypothesize that the low centromeric region may regulate spatial homologous chromosome separation, and its absence may contribute to abnormal pairing of chromosome 19 in Caki-1 cells. To test this, I will use ImmunoFISH to analyze centromeric patterns at metaphase in non-diseased and Caki-1 cancer cells. By comparing the Caki-1 cells to non-diseased human cells (HUVECs), I aim to determine whether the low centromeric staining region may regulate spatial segregation of chromosomes. Understanding these differences may offer new insights into how chromosome instability drives disease and refine our current understanding of chromosome organization during mitosis.