title: Expression and mutation analysis of the Wilms' tumor 1 gene in human neural tumors.
abstract: The Wilms' tumor 1 gene, WT1, encodes a zinc-finger protein that is implicated in the development of Wilms' tumor. Mutant or aberrantly expressed WT1 isoforms have also been described in desmoplastic small round cell tumor, acute leukemias, mesothelioma, breast tumors and melanoma. During early development, WT1 is expressed in the brain and spinal cord, however its role in the malignancies that affect these tissues has not been previously investigated. In our study we have examined neural tumors including brain tumors and neuroblastomas for WT1 expression and for mutations affecting the zinc-fingers. Although WT1 expression was detected in gliomas, medulloblastomas and neuroblastomas, neither zinc-finger region mutations nor splicing anomalies affecting the KTS site were detected. We therefore conclude that WT1 does not play a significant role in the etiology of human neural tumors.
authors.affiliation: Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Sally L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Dennis
authors.forename: Shehnaaz S M
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Manji
authors.forename: Darryl P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Carrington
authors.forename: Deborah L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Scarcella
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Ashley
authors.forename: Peter J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Elizabeth M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Algar
mesh_terms: D017398:Alternative Splicing; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D005910:Glioma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008527:Medulloblastoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D025721:WT1 Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics*; D016335:Zinc Fingers / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D025721:WT1 Proteins