To elucidate if the protein level in blood serum is related with the presence of brain tumours, we investigated the mRNA expression of TIMP-1, ANGPT1, SPP1 (OPN coding gene), IP-10, TGF-β1 and TIMP-1 in astrocytoma samples as well as in healthy human brain tissue. Here, TIMP1 is linked to astrocytoma (excluding glioblastoma).