EXPRESSION OF THE ROS1 ONCOGENE FOR TYROSINE RECEPTOR KINASE IN ADULTHUMAN MENINGIOMAS

Oncogenes have been implicated in the promotion and progression of can cer in humans. Expression of the ROS1 oncogene, a member of the recept or tyrosine kinase superfamily, was examined in human meningiomas by c oupled reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) as says. Two sets of region-specific oligonucleotides, specific for diffe rent regions of the ROS1 messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA), were used in RT-PCR assays to independently examine ROS1 transcripts from primar y human meningiomas. ROS1 was expressed at high levels in approximatel y 55% (17 of 31) of the meningiomas examined, but not expressed in non -neoplastic brain samples. The commonplace expression of the ROS1 onco gene in meningiomas suggests a role for this oncogene in the etiology of these tumors.