Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) is one of the intermediate filaments found in mature normal astrocytes and differentiated glioma cells. It seems to be able to stabilize the cytoskeleton of the astrocyte and may play a role in maintaining astrocyte cell shape, in association with other cytoskeletal components such as microfilaments and microtubles. However, its tissue-specificity remains unclear. To clarify the effect of GFAP expression in brain tumour cells, transfer of the GFAP gene into the human medulloblastoma cell line, DAOY-1 (which does not express GFAP) was carried out using liposomes. Upon transfection, we observed the alterations in the characteristics of GFAP transfected cells. Cell growth, morphology and sensitivity to anticancer drugs were compared between GFAP gene transfected DAOY-1 and control DAOY-1 cells. Growth inhibition and increase of sensitivity to anticancer drugs were observed with GFAP expression in GFAP gene-transfected DAOY-1 cells. However, no morphological changes were noted.