SNCA, a novel biomarker for Group 4 medulloblastomas, can inhibit tumor invasion and induce apoptosis

Medulloblastoma (MB) is the most common malignant brain tumor in childhood. It contains at least four distinct molecular subgroups. The aim of this study is to explore novel diagnostic and potential therapeutic markers within each subgroup of MB, in particular within Group 4, the largest subgroup, to facilitate diagnosis together with gene therapy. One hundred and six MB samples were examined. Tumor subtype was evaluated with the NanoString assay. Several novel tumor related genes were shown to have high subgroup sensitivity and specificity, including PDGFRA, FGFR1, and ALK in the WNT group, CCND1 in the SHH group, and α-synuclein (SNCA) in Group 4. Knockdown and overexpression assays of SNCA revealed the ability of this gene to inhibit tumor invasion and induce apoptosis. Methylation-specific PCR and pyrosequencing analysis showed that epigenetic mechanisms, rather than DNA hypermethylation, might play the key role in the regulation of SNCA expression in MB tumors. In conclusion, we identify SNCA as a novel diagnostic biomarker for Group 4 MB. Some other subgroup signature genes have also been found as candidate therapeutic targets for this tumor.