Recently, MacDonald< pres: italics> et al.[1] used oligonucleotide expression profiling to identify 59 genes that are upregulated in metastatic forms of medulloblastoma, an aggressive pediatric brain tumor [2]. Notably, these included genes encoding platelet-derived growth factor receptor-α (PDGFRA) and several members of the downstream RAS/MAPK signal pathway [1]. MacDonald< pres: italics> et al.[1] also showed that a PDGFRA blocking antibody can inhibit both PDGFA-induced MAPK signaling and invasion by Daoy medulloblastoma cells< pres: italics> in vitro. These data led the authors to propose that" specific inhibitors of PDGFRA should be strongly considered as possible new treatments against medulloblastoma"[1]. But the oligonucleotide probe set 1771 that MacDonald< pres: italics> et al.[1] used to determine PDGFRA expression actually identifies platelet-derived growth factor receptor-β (PDGFRB; GenBank accession number J03278; see https://www. affymetrix. com/analysis/

query/interactive_query. jsp). This error by MacDonald< pres: italics> et al. is probably due to incorrect sequence and probe annotation by GenBank and Affymetrix, respectively: although GenBank sequence J03278 includes the complete coding region of PDGFRB, the locus is given as' PDGFRA', and Affymetrix probe 1771 is annotated'J03278 HUMPDGFRA Human platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) receptor mRNA'(see https://www. affymetrix. com/analysis/