Neurofibromatosis 2 (NF2) protein (merlin; schwannomin) is a tumor suppressor involved in tumorigenesis of NF2-associated and sporadic schwannomas and meningiomas.
Merlin is thought to play a crucial role as a tumor suppressor not only in hereditary NF2-related tumors, but also in sporadic tumors such as schwannomas, meningiomas and gliomas.
Two major alternatively spliced NF2 variants are expressed in normal tissues: 'NF2-17' lacking exon 16 and 'NF2-16' that contains exon 16 and encodes a merlin protein truncated at the C-terminus.
No mutations were found in either the lesional or constitutional DNA, which suggests that sporadic meningioangiomatosis is not a forme fruste of NF2 and that somatic alterations of the NF2 gene do not play a major role in sporadic meningioangiomatosis.
Blood samples from 125 unrelated families with classical type 2 neurofibromatosis (NF2) with bilateral vestibular schwannomas have been analysed for mutations in the NF2 gene.
We analysed 23 sporadic schwannomas for mutations in the NF2 gene and for the allelic status at 1p, 14q and 22q, as alterations of these genomic regions appear to be related to tumour progression in meningiomas, another NF2-associated neoplasm.
Chromosome 22q carries the locus of a tumor suppressor gene, the neurofibromatosis 2 (NF2) gene, which has been shown to be lost or mutated in some NF2-related tumors, sporadic meningiomas, and vestibular schwannomas, as well as a few other tumors.
NF2 gene alterations were identified at a genomic level in 7 cell lines and were associated with a marked decrease in the concentration of the NF2 transcript.
Blood samples from 125 unrelated families with classical type 2 neurofibromatosis (NF2) with bilateral vestibular schwannomas have been analysed for mutations in the NF2 gene.
The purposes of this investigation are: 1. to determine what proportion of vestibular schwannomas from patients with spontaneous unilateral and familial bilateral schwannomas have mutations present within the NF2 gene; 2. to determine whether specific types of mutations are associated with a specific clinical manifestation of this disease; and 3. to further define the relationship between newly discovered mutations within the NF2 tumor-suppressor gene and possible clinical applications of this knowledge to advance diagnosis and treatment of patients with NF2 and spontaneous vestibular schwannomas.
Blood samples from 125 unrelated families with classical type 2 neurofibromatosis (NF2) with bilateral vestibular schwannomas have been analysed for mutations in the NF2 gene.
Blood samples from 125 unrelated families with classical type 2 neurofibromatosis (NF2) with bilateral vestibular schwannomas have been analysed for mutations in the NF2 gene.
Merlin, the tumor suppressor in neurofibromatosis 2, is a diverged member of the ezrin family, but its function is at least partially similar to the ERM proteins.
Based on these findings, we propose a model for merlin growth suppression that provides a framework for analyzing NF2 patient mutations and merlin function.
The neurofibromatosis 2 (NF2) tumor suppressor gene product, merlin (schwannomin) forms an intramolecular association that is required for negative growth regulation in vitro and in vivo.