Then, using well-characterized pediatric astrocytoma cell lines as a model system, we observed elevated UCHL1 mRNA expression with correlating protein expression in UW479, a WHO grade III anaplastic astrocytoma, SF188, and SJ-GBM2, WHO grade IV glioblastoma mutiforme cell lines but no expression in Res186, a WHO grade I pilocytic astrocytoma cell line. This evidence concerns the gene UCHL1 and astrocytoma (excluding glioblastoma).