Biomaterial Database

Elevated c-myc expression in childhood medulloblastomas. 1990

D N MacGregor, and E B Ziff

Department of Pediatrics, New York University Medical Center, New York 10016.

Medulloblastoma is a rare brain tumor usually occurring in late childhood or early adolescence. Little is known regarding the cell of origin or cellular events leading to its malignant transformation. We have studied the expression of developmentally regulated mRNA in tumor samples by the Northern hybridization assay to determine a relative stage at which a block to further differentiation occurs. In a series of five medulloblastoma tumors analyzed, only one of eight markers for cellular differentiation, the glial fibrillary acidic protein mRNA, was expressed at significant levels. Interestingly, three of six medulloblastoma tumor samples were found to have elevated levels of c-myc mRNA. In one of these tumors, we have found evidence of mutation of the c-myc protooncogene. We discuss possible mechanisms of c-myc activation in medulloblastoma tumors.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008527	Medulloblastoma	A malignant neoplasm that may be classified either as a glioma or as a primitive neuroectodermal tumor of childhood (see NEUROECTODERMAL TUMOR, PRIMITIVE). The tumor occurs most frequently in the first decade of life with the most typical location being the cerebellar vermis. Histologic features include a high degree of cellularity, frequent mitotic figures, and a tendency for the cells to organize into sheets or form rosettes. Medulloblastoma have a high propensity to spread throughout the craniospinal intradural axis. (From DeVita et al., Cancer: Principles and Practice of Oncology, 5th ed, pp2060-1)	Arachnoidal Cerebellar Sarcoma, Circumscribed,Medulloblastoma, Desmoplastic,Medullomyoblastoma,Sarcoma, Cerebellar, Circumscribed Arachnoidal,Medulloblastoma, Adult,Medulloblastoma, Childhood,Melanocytic Medulloblastoma,Adult Medulloblastoma,Adult Medulloblastomas,Childhood Medulloblastoma,Childhood Medulloblastomas,Desmoplastic Medulloblastoma,Desmoplastic Medulloblastomas,Medulloblastoma, Melanocytic,Medulloblastomas,Medulloblastomas, Adult,Medulloblastomas, Childhood,Medulloblastomas, Desmoplastic,Medulloblastomas, Melanocytic,Medullomyoblastomas,Melanocytic Medulloblastomas
D008969	Molecular Sequence Data	Descriptions of specific amino acid, carbohydrate, or nucleotide sequences which have appeared in the published literature and/or are deposited in and maintained by databanks such as GENBANK, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), National Biomedical Research Foundation (NBRF), or other sequence repositories.	Sequence Data, Molecular,Molecular Sequencing Data,Data, Molecular Sequence,Data, Molecular Sequencing,Sequencing Data, Molecular
D009154	Mutation	Any detectable and heritable change in the genetic material that causes a change in the GENOTYPE and which is transmitted to daughter cells and to succeeding generations.	Mutations
D011518	Proto-Oncogene Proteins	Products of proto-oncogenes. Normally they do not have oncogenic or transforming properties, but are involved in the regulation or differentiation of cell growth. They often have protein kinase activity.	Cellular Proto-Oncogene Proteins,c-onc Proteins,Proto Oncogene Proteins, Cellular,Proto-Oncogene Products, Cellular,Cellular Proto Oncogene Proteins,Cellular Proto-Oncogene Products,Proto Oncogene Products, Cellular,Proto Oncogene Proteins,Proto-Oncogene Proteins, Cellular,c onc Proteins
D011519	Proto-Oncogenes	Normal cellular genes homologous to viral oncogenes. The products of proto-oncogenes are important regulators of biological processes and appear to be involved in the events that serve to maintain the ordered procession through the cell cycle. Proto-oncogenes have names of the form c-onc.	Proto-Oncogene,Proto Oncogene,Proto Oncogenes
D002528	Cerebellar Neoplasms	Primary or metastatic neoplasms of the CEREBELLUM. Tumors in this location frequently present with ATAXIA or signs of INTRACRANIAL HYPERTENSION due to obstruction of the fourth ventricle. Common primary cerebellar tumors include fibrillary ASTROCYTOMA and cerebellar HEMANGIOBLASTOMA. The cerebellum is a relatively common site for tumor metastases from the lung, breast, and other distant organs. (From Okazaki & Scheithauer, Atlas of Neuropathology, 1988, p86 and p141)	Benign Cerebellar Neoplasms,Cerebellar Cancer,Malignant Cerebellar Neoplasms,Cerebellar Neoplasms, Benign,Cerebellar Neoplasms, Malignant,Cerebellar Neoplasms, Primary,Cerebellar Tumors,Neoplasms, Cerebellar,Neoplasms, Cerebellar, Benign,Neoplasms, Cerebellar, Malignant,Neoplasms, Cerebellar, Primary,Primary Neoplasms, Cerebellum,Benign Cerebellar Neoplasm,Cancer, Cerebellar,Cerebellar Cancers,Cerebellar Neoplasm,Cerebellar Neoplasm, Benign,Cerebellar Neoplasm, Malignant,Cerebellar Neoplasm, Primary,Cerebellar Tumor,Cerebellum Primary Neoplasm,Cerebellum Primary Neoplasms,Malignant Cerebellar Neoplasm,Neoplasm, Benign Cerebellar,Neoplasm, Cerebellar,Neoplasm, Cerebellum Primary,Neoplasm, Malignant Cerebellar,Primary Cerebellar Neoplasm,Primary Cerebellar Neoplasms,Primary Neoplasm, Cerebellum,Tumor, Cerebellar
D002648	Child	A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL.	Children
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001483	Base Sequence	The sequence of PURINES and PYRIMIDINES in nucleic acids and polynucleotides. It is also called nucleotide sequence.	DNA Sequence,Nucleotide Sequence,RNA Sequence,DNA Sequences,Base Sequences,Nucleotide Sequences,RNA Sequences,Sequence, Base,Sequence, DNA,Sequence, Nucleotide,Sequence, RNA,Sequences, Base,Sequences, DNA,Sequences, Nucleotide,Sequences, RNA
D012333	RNA, Messenger	RNA sequences that serve as templates for protein synthesis. Bacterial mRNAs are generally primary transcripts in that they do not require post-transcriptional processing. Eukaryotic mRNA is synthesized in the nucleus and must be exported to the cytoplasm for translation. Most eukaryotic mRNAs have a sequence of polyadenylic acid at the 3' end, referred to as the poly(A) tail. The function of this tail is not known for certain, but it may play a role in the export of mature mRNA from the nucleus as well as in helping stabilize some mRNA molecules by retarding their degradation in the cytoplasm.	Messenger RNA,Messenger RNA, Polyadenylated,Poly(A) Tail,Poly(A)+ RNA,Poly(A)+ mRNA,RNA, Messenger, Polyadenylated,RNA, Polyadenylated,mRNA,mRNA, Non-Polyadenylated,mRNA, Polyadenylated,Non-Polyadenylated mRNA,Poly(A) RNA,Polyadenylated mRNA,Non Polyadenylated mRNA,Polyadenylated Messenger RNA,Polyadenylated RNA,RNA, Polyadenylated Messenger,mRNA, Non Polyadenylated