Numerous data demonstrate a lower aggressiveness of
tumors in aged as compared to young patients. The mechanisms underlying this phenomenon have not yet been completely elucidated. Several mechanisms have been shown, such as reduced
tumor cell proliferation, increased apoptosis, immune response modifications and reduced angiogenesis in aged organism
tumors. In the present study we report an incidentally found, not yet described mechanism, of the age-related reduced
tumor progression, namely a decreased ploidy in
B16 melanoma growing in old (near diploidy) as compared to young mice (
tetraploidy). We surprisingly observed that
tumor cells from aged mice were of smaller cell and nuclear size than those of young animals. Flow cytometry forward scatter data also showed a smaller cell size of
melanoma cells from old mice.
DNA flow cytometry profile comparison demonstrated that while
B16 melanoma cells from young animals contained a high percentage of
tetraploid cells, those derived from old animals were mostly close to diploid. A high importance has recently been attributed to
aneuploidy as being at the origin of the genetic instability of
neoplasia. Our results may support this notion. The transit from
tetraploidy to near euploidy in
melanoma cells growing in aged mice might avoid the genetic instability inherent to
tumor progression.