Predominant expression of the CHRNA5[AluSz] isoform was also apparent when assessed by RT-qPCR in A549 cells (Fig. 7B) and was also observed in analysis of RNA-seq data from NSCLC and ESCC cell lines in CCLE, whereas several neuroblastoma cell lines, originating from a tissue where CHRNA5 is physiologically highly expressed, exhibited expression additionally of the canonical isoform (Additional file 1: Fig. S10B). Here, CHRNA5 is linked to esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.