We have previously shown that a large number (41 of 46 samples) of glioblastoma biopsy samples or primary cell cultures are positive for IL-4Rα and IL-13Rα1 chains as determined by RT–PCR and immunofluorescence analyses (Joshi et al, 2000; Puri et al, 1996a). This evidence concerns the gene IL13RA1 and glioblastoma.