title: Neuronal growth factors from tumours of Von Recklinghausen neurofibromatosis.
abstract: Explants of 21 neurofibromas from 16 patients with Von Recklinghausen neurofibromatosis (NF-I) plus tumour tissue from 5 comparison patients and normal tissue from one of the NF-I patients were assayed for neuronal growth factor(s) using dissociated embryonic sensory neurons from chick embryo. Twenty-one of 21 neurofibroma explants released detectable quantities of neuronal growth factors, but only 2 of 8 non-neurofibroma tissue explants released activity. While antiserum to mouse nerve growth factor (NGF) fractionally inhibited neurite outgrowth induced by some of the neurofibromas, overall differences between assays containing antibody and controls reached statistical significance in 3 cases; in one case, explants of a separate tumour from the same patient had no detectable NGF-like activity. These data support the hypothesis that local release of neuronal growth factors in neurofibromas are responsible for neurites observed within these tumours. Further evidence that endoneurial tissue of peripheral nerve is a rich source of heterogeneous neuronal growth facts has been provided by these studies.
mesh_terms: D001369:Axons / Q000648:ultrastructure; D001681:Biological Assay; D006801:Humans; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D009456:Neurofibromatosis 1 / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D009414:Nerve Growth Factors