N-myc oncogene RNA expression in neuroblastoma.
Tumor specimens from 33 patients with neuroblastoma were assayed for amplification of the N-myc oncogene and RNA expression to determine whether N-myc RNA expression levels correlated with N-myc gene amplification and clinical outcome. N-myc gene amplification was detected in one stage II tumor, one stage IV-S tumor, and seven stage III or IV tumors. In each case, N-myc RNA expression roughly paralleled N-myc gene amplification. However, enhanced N-myc RNA expression was not confined to tumors with N-myc gene amplification: all of the early (stage I and II) tumors, five stage IV-S tumors, and 12 advanced (stage III and IV) tumors had levels of N-myc RNA that were elevated up to 50-fold. While N-myc gene amplification correlated with prognosis, there was no such correlation with levels of N-myc RNA expression. The precise role of the N-myc gene in the pathogenesis of neuroblastoma remains unclear.
Nisen
P D
PD
Department of Pediatrics, Schneider Children's Hospital, Long Island Jewish Medical Center, New Hyde Park, NY.
Waber
P G
PG
Rich
M A
MA
Pierce
S
S
Garvin
J R
JR
Gilbert
F
F
Lanzkowsky
P
P
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005784:Gene Amplification; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality; D011379:Prognosis; D011519:Proto-Oncogenes; D012313:RNA / Q000032:analysis*
D012313:RNA