Human achaete-scute homolog-1 is highly expressed in a subset of neuroendocrine tumors.

Human achaete-scute homolog-1 (hASH1) is critical for establishing the neuroendocrine (NE) phenotype of small cell lung cancer. To define its role in other neoplasms, we analyzed 33 tumors for hASH1 by Northern blotting. Significant levels of hASH1 mRNA were detected in 4 pheochromocytomas, 2 medullary thyroid cancers, and 1 thymic carcinoid. hASH1 transcripts were undetectable in 8 parathyroid lesions, 6 gastrinomas, 4 insulinomas, and 7 thyroid neoplasms, as well as in normal thyroid, adrenal, or pancreas tissue. Therefore, hASH1 mRNA is highly abundant in a subset of human tumors and may play a role in dictating their NE phenotype.