In order to investigate which splice variant is expressed in MPM, we used two sets of primers, theoretically allowing the detection of 20 different cDNAs of GAS5 splice variants (Additional file 3: Table S2) to amplify GAS5 cDNA from four mesothelioma cell lines (ZL55SPT, SDM103T2, ZL55 and ACC-Meso4) that had been selected for functional studies. Here, GAS5 is linked to mesothelioma.