EWS-FLI1 fusion transcripts identified in patients with typical neuroblastoma

Eur J Cancer. 1997 Feb;33(2):239-43. doi: 10.1016/s0959-8049(96)00463-7.

Abstract

The t(11.22)(q24.q12) results in expression of a chimeric RNA product, EWS-FLI1. This RNA product is expressed in over 85% of tumours belonging to the Ewing's family, and is increasingly used as a definitive characteristic of these tumours. In this study, we evaluated reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain (RT-PCR) for EWS-FLI1 fusion transcripts in 18 neurally derived small round cell tumours. These included six Ewing's family tumours and 12 neuroblastomas. EWS-FLI1 fusion transcripts were identified in all six Ewing's tumours, but also in two of the 12 neuroblastomas. One neuroblastoma contained the classic type 1 fusion transcript, and the second a type 1 transcript containing a 66 bp (base pair) insert that was not derived from the EWS or FLI1 gene. The presence of EWS-FLI1 fusion products in RNA extracted from primary neuroblastoma suggests the identification of EWS-FLI1 fusion transcripts is not pathognomonic for tumours of the Ewing's family. The clinical significance of these fusion transcripts in neuroblastoma is not known.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Base Sequence
  • Bone Neoplasms / genetics
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics*
  • Heterogeneous-Nuclear Ribonucleoproteins
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Neoplasm Proteins / genetics*
  • Neuroblastoma / genetics*
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Proto-Oncogene Protein c-fli-1
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins*
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • RNA, Neoplasm / genetics
  • RNA-Binding Protein EWS
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / genetics*
  • Ribonucleoproteins / genetics*
  • Sarcoma, Ewing / genetics
  • Trans-Activators / genetics*
  • Translocation, Genetic*

Substances

  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Heterogeneous-Nuclear Ribonucleoproteins
  • Neoplasm Proteins
  • Proto-Oncogene Protein c-fli-1
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins
  • RNA, Messenger
  • RNA, Neoplasm
  • RNA-Binding Protein EWS
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • Ribonucleoproteins
  • Trans-Activators