Then they proceeded to analyse 12 genes that were upregulated ⩾3-fold in at least three of the four cell lines and were expressed in renal tubular cells (BIRC3, NP, GADD45A, NFKB1A, CYCS, TGM2, IGFBP1, COL1A1, CTGF, IGFBP1, GDF15 and PLAU) and found that three genes (IGFBP1, IGFBP3 and COL1A1) demonstrated tumour-specific methylation and seven genes did not show promoter methylation. This evidence concerns the gene GDF15 and neoplasm.