For this, we employed: U-251 MG astrocytoma cells, which besides vimentin, express other cytoplasmic intermediate filament proteins including GFAP, nestin, synemin, and keratins in variable proportions33; fibroblast-like Vero cells, which also express various intermediate filament proteins; and parental SW13 cells, which express vimentin as the only cytoplasmic intermediate filament31. This evidence concerns the gene DES and astrocytoma (excluding glioblastoma).