MUTANT VASOPRESSIN PRECURSORS IN THE HUMAN HYPOTHALAMUS - EVIDENCE FOR NEURONAL SOMATIC MUTATIONS IN MAN

We report here the expression of mutant proteins displaying the fl rea ding frame of the vasopressin and oxytocin precursors in magnocellular neurons of the human hypothalamus. Our data demonstrate a high freque ncy of frameshift mutations in these neurons and thus provide the firs t evidence of somatic mutations in neurons of the human brain. The res ults imply that other neuronal populations and specific genes may also undergo similar mutational events with possible consequences for neur onal functioning and pathology.