THE STATUS OF NF1-GRD MUTATION AND P53 EXPRESSION IN NEUROBLASTOMA

The role of tumor suppressor genes in neuroblastoma is currently under intensive research. Recent reports seem to show that the NF1 gene pla ys a role in the pathogenesis of this tumor. In this study mutations a t the gap related domain (GRD) of the NF1 gene were assesed in 29 neur oblastic tumors by means of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in com bination with the single strand conformation polymorphism technique (S SCP). We have also analysed p53 expression in 16 of those neuroblastom as by means of immunohistochemistry with a monoclonal antibody that st ains normal and mutant p53 protein. In no case could we detect either p53 expression or NF1 gene mutations. In light of these and previous r esults we can virtually exclude p53 from the pathogenesis of neuroblas toma, while NF1 should be further studied -out of its GRD-before concl uding on its definite role in neuroblastoma initiation and/or progress ion.