STRUCTURAL-ANALYSIS OF THE HUMAN NOV PROTOONCOGENE AND EXPRESSION IN WILMS-TUMORS

We have cloned and sequenced the nov gene (novH) which is the homolog of the chicken nov proto-oncogene overexpressed in avian nephroblastom as. The novH gene is highly conserved and encodes a putative IGF-bindi ng protein similar to that of chicken. We report that relative to auto logous normal kidney expression of novH is elevated in Wilms tumors co ntaining predominantly stromal elements and is inversely correlated in these tumors to the expression of WT1. Our results suggest that the r egulation of IGFII expression by WT1 and increase of novH in Wilms tum ors might be interrelated and represent a key element in tumor develop ment in human.