We first examined the mRNA levels of the five ZIC genes in various types of brain tumors including astrocytoma, oligodendroglioma, glioblastoma, medulloblastoma, primitive neuroectodermal tumor, ganglioglioma, neurinoma, subependymoma, and meningioma (Figure 1, Table 1). The gene discussed is ZIC1; the disease is astrocytoma (excluding glioblastoma).