Fusion genes are common chromosomal aberrations in many cancers, and can be used as prognostic markers and drug targets in clinical practice. In this issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation , researchers led by Matti Annala at Tampere University of Technology in Finland identified a fusion between the FGFR3 and TACC3 genes in human glioblastoma samples. The protein produced by this fusion gene promoted tumor growth and progression in a mouse model of glioblastoma, while increased expression of either of the normal genes did not alter tumor progression. Ivan Babic and Paul Mischel of the University of California, San Diego, explain in the accompanying commentary that it remains unclear how this fusion protein mediates tumorigenesis.
TITLE:
The tumorigenic fusion FGFR3-TACC3 escapes miR-99a regulation in glioblastoma
AUTHOR CONTACT:
Matti Annala
Tampere University of Technology, Tampere, , FIN
Phone: +358415079885; E-mail: matti.annala@tut.fi
View this article at: http://www.jci.org/articles/view/67144?key=b644a26bcc8a516cd41d
ACCOMPANYING COMMENTARY
TITLE:
Multiple functions of a glioblastoma fusion oncogene
AUTHOR CONTACT:
Paul Mischel
UCSD, La Jolla, CA, USA
Phone: (858) 534-6080; Fax: ; E-mail: pmischel@ucsd.edu
View this article at: http://www.jci.org/articles/view/67658?key=0186fce1cd2ddde6082f
Journal of Clinical Investigation