Abstract
Genes identified as being mutated in Wilms' tumour include TP53, a classic tumour suppressor gene (TSG); CTNNB1 (encoding β-catenin), a classic oncogene; WTX, which accumulating data indicate is a TSG; and WT1, which is inactivated in some Wilms' tumours, similar to a TSG. However, WT1 does not always conform to the TSG label, and some data indicate that WT1 enhances cell survival and proliferation, like an oncogene. Is WT1 a chameleon, functioning as either a TSG or an oncogene, depending on cellular context? Are these labels even appropriate for describing and understanding the function of WT1?