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Murine Neurofibromatosis

ABSTRACT: Neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1) is a genetic, neurocutaneous syndrome caused by a mutation in the gene encoding neurofibromin. Individuals with NF1 develop growths that define the NF1 phenotype, including Lisch nodules, cafe-au-lait spots, and neurofibromas. However, more than 50% of individuals with NF1 have cognitive deficits, such as learning disorders and attention deficit/hyperactive disorder that are neuroanatomically unrelated to the neurofibromas. The purpose of this study is to determine the molecular basis of the neurodevelopmental changes that result from the primary gene mutation using a mouse model of NF. These mice are heterozygous for the Nf1 gene (NF+/-), and develop learning and memory difficulties that mimic humans, but do not develop tumors. By applying the technique of gene expression profiling to both NF+/- and control mice, we expect get a "genetic fingerprint" of 12,000 RNA molecules expressed in different parts of the brain during development. Comparison of the "genetic fingerprints" in these mice during development may help us identify key molecular changes that eventually result in cognitive deficits. Such an understanding of the molecular changes triggered by the primary gene mutation may eventually lead to treatments that prevent the cognitive deficits in NF1. Keywords: other

ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus

PROVIDER: GSE1482 | GEO | 2004/06/17

SECONDARY ACCESSION(S): PRJNA90753

REPOSITORIES: GEO

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Project description:Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1) patients develop benign neurofibromas and malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNST). These incurable peripheral nerve tumors result from loss of NF1 tumor suppressor gene function, causing hyperactive Ras signaling. Activated Ras controls numerous downstream effectors, but specific pathways mediating effects of hyperactive Ras in NF1 tumors are unknown. Cross-species transcriptome analyses of mouse and human neurofibromas and MPNSTs identified global negative feedback of genes that regulate Ras-Raf- MEK- extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK) signaling in both species. Nonetheless, activation of ERK was sustained in mouse and human neurofibromas and MPNST. PD0325901, a highly selective pharmacological inhibitor of MEK, was used to test whether sustained Ras-Raf-MEK-ERK signaling contributes to neurofibroma growth in the Nf1fl/fl;Dhh-cre mouse model or in NF1 patient MPNST cell xenografts. PD0325901 treatment reduced aberrantly proliferating cells in neurofibroma and MPNST, prolonged survival of mice implanted with human MPNST cells, and shrank neurofibromas in >80% of mice tested. PD0325901 also caused effects on tumor vasculature. Our data demonstrate that deregulated Ras/ERK signaling is critical for the growth of NF1 peripheral nerve tumors and provide strong rationale for testing MEK inhibitors in NF1 clinical trials. 83 microarrays: Mouse control (15), Mouse neurofibroma (15), Mouse MPNST (18); Human nerve (3), Human neurofibroma (26), Human MPNST (6) We used the same human tumor samples as in series GSE14038 (dNF, pNF and MPNST). However, instead of referencing gene expression changes to the normal human Schwann cell samples (NHSC) as we did in series GSE14038, we generated three (new) normal nerve samples (samples jan-N1-3) and referenced gene expression changes to those samples. Moreover, the analysis of series GSE14038 evaluated changes in expression between NHSC, benign tumor subtypes (dNF and pNF), and malignant tumors (MPNST), while our present submission evaluated changes between normal nerve, benign tumors (combined dNF and pNF),and malignant tumors (MPNST). The Series supplementary 'merged_data.txt' file contains the data for 9,891 transcripts that were statistically different in at least one of the two species and present in both mouse and human data sets.

Dataset Information

Murine Neurofibromatosis

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