OBJECTIVE To screen differentially expressed genes in the development of human glioma and establish a primary molecular classification of glioma based on gene expression using cDNA microarrays.METHODS Brain specimens were obtained from 18 patients with glioma, 10males and 8 females, ages 14～62 with an average age of 44.4. The total RNAs of these glioma specimens and two specimens of donated brain of normal adults were extracted. BioStarH140S microarrays (including 8,347old genes and 5,592 novel genes) were adopted and hybridized with probes which were prepared from the total RNAs. Differentially expressed genes between normal tissues and glioma tissues were assayed after scanning cDNA microarrays with ScanArray4000. Northern hybridization and in situ hybridization (ISH) were used to identify functions of novel genes. Those differentially expressed genes were studied with a Hierarchical method and molecular classification of glioma was preliminary carried out.RESULTS Among the 13,939 target genes, there were 1,200 (8.61%)differentially expressed genes, of which 395 (2.83%) were novel genes. A total of 348 genes were up-regulated and 852 genes were down-regulated in the gliomas. The results of bioinformatical analysis, Northern hybridization and ISH revealed that those novel genes were highly associated with gliomas. There were multiple genes, such as the MAP gene、cytoskeleton & matrix motility genes, etc, which were of relevance to classification by the Hierarchical method. Molecular classification of glioma using a Hierarchical cluster was in accordance with pathology and suggested a molecular process of tumorigenesis and development.CONCLUSION Multiple genes play important roles in development of glioma. cDNA microarray technology is a powerful technique in screening for differentially expressed genes between two different kinds of tissues. Further analysis of gene expression and novel genes would be helpful to understand the molecular mechanism of glioma development.