Expression of GAS7 in childhood CNS tumors.

Expression of growth arrest-specific (Gas) genes is observed during growth arrest in terminally differentiating cells during development of peripheral nerves. Gas7 is expressed predominantly in the brain and is required for neurite formation. Human GAS7 is located on chromosome 17p11.3 close to or within the putative breakpoint of isochromosome 17q (i(17q)) in medulloblastoma, indicating a potential role as a tumor suppressor gene, lost by formation of i(17q). However in the present study, the expression of GAS7 was detected in 20 of 29 childhood medulloblastoma samples regardless of the presence of i(17q). Therefore, GAS7 is not likely to be a tumor suppressor gene in medulloblastoma development.