title: Expression of members of the myf gene family in human rhabdomyosarcomas.
abstract: Northern analysis of tumour RNA has been used to examine the expression of members of the myf family of muscle determining genes (myf3, myf4, myf5 and myf6) in a series of 20 rhabdomyosarcomas. A 2.0 kb myf3 transcript was observed in 85% of tumours, a 1.8 kb myf4 transcript was detected in 70% of tumours and a 1.7 kb myf5 transcript was observed in 55% of tumours. Transcription of myf6 occurred in 28% of tumours, but there were several transcript sizes (1.2, 1.5, 2.0 and 3.5 kb) and in some individual tumours two or more transcripts were observed. Only two rhabdomyosarcomas, one classified as embryonal and one as pleomorphic, failed to exhibit transcription of members of the myf gene family. We were unable to detect transcription of myf genes in neuroblastomas, Wilms' tumours, hepatoblastomas, paediatric non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and leiomyosarcomas. When considered together these observations suggest that expression of myf genes could provide an extremely useful marker in the diagnosis of rhabdomyosarcoma.
authors.affiliation: Haddow Laboratories, Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, Surrey, UK.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Rocques
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Braun
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bober
authors.forename: H H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Arnold
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fisher
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fletcher
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Gusterson
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Carter
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009124:Muscle Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D017570:MyoD Protein; D051787:Myogenic Regulatory Factor 5; D018006:Myogenic Regulatory Factors; D018008:Myogenin; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics; D012208:Rhabdomyosarcoma / Q000235:genetics*; D015534:Trans-Activators
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C497417:MYF5 protein, human; C503799:MYOG protein, human; D009124:Muscle Proteins; D017570:MyoD Protein; C057363:MyoD1 myogenic differentiation protein; D051787:Myogenic Regulatory Factor 5; D018006:Myogenic Regulatory Factors; D018008:Myogenin; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm; D015534:Trans-Activators; C063403:myogenic factor 6