title: MEIS homeobox genes in neuroblastoma.
abstract: The common pediatric tumor neuroblastoma originates from primitive neural crest-derived precursor cells of the peripheral nervous system. Neuroblastoma especially affects very young children, and can already be present at birth. Its early onset and cellular origin predict the involvement of developmental control genes in neuroblastoma etiology. These genes are indispensable for the tight regulation of normal embryonic development but as a consequence cause cancer and congenital diseases upon mutation or aberrant expression. To date however, the connotation of these genes in neuroblastoma pathogenesis is scant. This review recapitulates data on the MEIS homeobox control genes in cancer and focuses on neuroblastoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Genetics M1-131, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands. d.geerts@amc.uva.nl
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Geerts
authors.forename: Ingrid
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Revet
authors.forename: Gerda
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jorritsma
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Schilderink
authors.forename: Rogier
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Versteeg
mesh_terms: D005801:Genes, Homeobox; D006801:Humans; D009154:Mutation; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000235:genetics*