Neurofibromatosis type 1-associated tumours: Their somatic mutational spectrum and pathogenesis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Somatic gene mutations constitute key events in the malignant transformation of human cells. Somatic mutation can either actively speed up the growth of tumour cells or relax the growth constraints normally imposed upon them, thereby conferring a selective (proli...

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Main Authors: Spyk Sebastian, Thomas Nick, Cooper David N, Upadhyaya Meena
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2011-10-01
Series:Human Genomics
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.humgenomics.com/content/5/6/623
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author Spyk Sebastian
Thomas Nick
Cooper David N
Upadhyaya Meena
author_facet Spyk Sebastian
Thomas Nick
Cooper David N
Upadhyaya Meena
author_sort Spyk Sebastian
collection DOAJ
description <p>Abstract</p> <p>Somatic gene mutations constitute key events in the malignant transformation of human cells. Somatic mutation can either actively speed up the growth of tumour cells or relax the growth constraints normally imposed upon them, thereby conferring a selective (proliferative) advantage at the cellular level. Neurofibromatosis type-1 (NF1) affects 1/3,000-4,000 individuals worldwide and is caused by the inactivation of the <it>NF1 </it>tumour suppressor gene, which encodes the protein neurofibromin. Consistent with Knudson's two-hit hypothesis, NF1 patients harbouring a heterozygous germline <it>NF1 </it>mutation develop neurofibromas upon somatic mutation of the second, wild-type, <it>NF1 </it>allele. While the identification of somatic mutations in NF1 patients has always been problematic on account of the extensive cellular heterogeneity manifested by neurofibromas, the classification of <it>NF1 </it>somatic mutations is a prerequisite for understanding the complex molecular mechanisms underlying NF1 tumorigenesis. Here, the known somatic mutational spectrum for the <it>NF1 </it>gene in a range of NF1-associated neoplasms --including peripheral nerve sheath tumours (neurofibromas), malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumours, gastrointestinal stromal tumours, gastric carcinoid, juvenile myelomonocytic leukaemia, glomus tumours, astrocytomas and phaeochromocytomas -- have been collated and analysed.</p>
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spelling doaj.art-7342d8c034f141239de741cab5d097402022-12-22T02:20:26ZengBMCHuman Genomics1479-73642011-10-015662369010.1186/1479-7364-5-6-623Neurofibromatosis type 1-associated tumours: Their somatic mutational spectrum and pathogenesisSpyk SebastianThomas NickCooper David NUpadhyaya Meena<p>Abstract</p> <p>Somatic gene mutations constitute key events in the malignant transformation of human cells. Somatic mutation can either actively speed up the growth of tumour cells or relax the growth constraints normally imposed upon them, thereby conferring a selective (proliferative) advantage at the cellular level. Neurofibromatosis type-1 (NF1) affects 1/3,000-4,000 individuals worldwide and is caused by the inactivation of the <it>NF1 </it>tumour suppressor gene, which encodes the protein neurofibromin. Consistent with Knudson's two-hit hypothesis, NF1 patients harbouring a heterozygous germline <it>NF1 </it>mutation develop neurofibromas upon somatic mutation of the second, wild-type, <it>NF1 </it>allele. While the identification of somatic mutations in NF1 patients has always been problematic on account of the extensive cellular heterogeneity manifested by neurofibromas, the classification of <it>NF1 </it>somatic mutations is a prerequisite for understanding the complex molecular mechanisms underlying NF1 tumorigenesis. Here, the known somatic mutational spectrum for the <it>NF1 </it>gene in a range of NF1-associated neoplasms --including peripheral nerve sheath tumours (neurofibromas), malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumours, gastrointestinal stromal tumours, gastric carcinoid, juvenile myelomonocytic leukaemia, glomus tumours, astrocytomas and phaeochromocytomas -- have been collated and analysed.</p>http://www.humgenomics.com/content/5/6/623NF1somatic mutationsgermline mutationspathogenesistumorigenesistumourbenignmalignant
spellingShingle Spyk Sebastian
Thomas Nick
Cooper David N
Upadhyaya Meena
Neurofibromatosis type 1-associated tumours: Their somatic mutational spectrum and pathogenesis
Human Genomics
NF1
somatic mutations
germline mutations
pathogenesis
tumorigenesis
tumour
benign
malignant
title Neurofibromatosis type 1-associated tumours: Their somatic mutational spectrum and pathogenesis
title_full Neurofibromatosis type 1-associated tumours: Their somatic mutational spectrum and pathogenesis
title_fullStr Neurofibromatosis type 1-associated tumours: Their somatic mutational spectrum and pathogenesis
title_full_unstemmed Neurofibromatosis type 1-associated tumours: Their somatic mutational spectrum and pathogenesis
title_short Neurofibromatosis type 1-associated tumours: Their somatic mutational spectrum and pathogenesis
title_sort neurofibromatosis type 1 associated tumours their somatic mutational spectrum and pathogenesis
topic NF1
somatic mutations
germline mutations
pathogenesis
tumorigenesis
tumour
benign
malignant
url http://www.humgenomics.com/content/5/6/623
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AT thomasnick neurofibromatosistype1associatedtumourstheirsomaticmutationalspectrumandpathogenesis
AT cooperdavidn neurofibromatosistype1associatedtumourstheirsomaticmutationalspectrumandpathogenesis
AT upadhyayameena neurofibromatosistype1associatedtumourstheirsomaticmutationalspectrumandpathogenesis