title: Tumor-specific mutations in the tyrosine kinase domain of the RET proto-oncogene in pheochromocytomas of sporadic type.
abstract: Sporadic pheochromocytomas, sporadic medullary thyroid carcinomas (MTCs), pheochromocytomas and/or MTCs in multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) 2A or 2B were screened for mutations in the tyrosine kinase domain of the RET proto-oncogene by direct sequencing of PCR-amplified products or sequencing subcloned DNAs from PCR-products. All tumors of 4 MEN 2B patients were confirmed to contain a heterozygous missense mutation at codon 918 (ATG-->ACG; Met-->Thr) of the RET proto-oncogene as well as their leukocytes. The same tumor-specific mutations at codon 918 were also found in 5/16 (31%) sporadic pheochromocytomas. These results suggest that mutations of the RET proto-oncogene in its tyrosine kinase domain play a role not only as the predisposing gene for MEN 2B, but also as a tumorigenic factor for pheochromocytomas of sporadic type.
authors.affiliation: Otsuka Department of Clinical and Molecular Nutrition, School of Medicine, University of Tokushima, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yoshimoto
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hamaguchi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Iwahana
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Miyauchi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Itakura
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001483:Base Sequence; D018276:Carcinoma, Medullary / Q000235:genetics; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000737:chemistry; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D018813:Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 2a / Q000235:genetics; D009154:Mutation; D010673:Pheochromocytoma / Q000235:genetics*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics*; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D051096:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ret; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics*; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; C000715470:MAS1 protein, human; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D051096:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ret; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; C416649:Ret protein, Drosophila