title: Multiple meningiomas: Investigating the molecular basis of sporadic and familial forms.
abstract: Meningiomas are common tumors of the coverings of the central nervous system (CNS), comprising 20% of intracranial neoplasms. The only genes known to be associated with sporadic meningiomas are NF2 on chromosome 22 and the related cytoskeleton element DAL-1 on chromosome 18. Between 1 and 8% of patients with meningiomas develop multiple meningiomas, a trait transmitted occasionally in an autosomal dominant fashion. We investigated the DAL-1 and NF2 loci in 7 unrelated multiple meningioma patients without clinical evidence of NF2 by mutational and pathological analysis. Five novel intragenic microsatellite polymorphisms were developed for specific detection of loss of heterozygosity (LOH) at the DAL-1 locus. Three of 7 patients had affected relatives and all affected individuals were female. No tumors from familial patients were of a fibroblastic subtype. Truncating NF2 mutations were detected in 3 tumor specimens, but were not present in the corresponding blood samples. Two tumors showed LOH at the NF2 locus. All tumors showing mutations at the NF2 locus originated from patients without affected relatives and were of the fibroblastic subtype. Five non-truncating alterations in the DAL-1 gene were found, however, LOH of chromosome 18 markers was not seen in any tumor. In contrast to the NF2 results, all DAL-1 alterations were found in paired blood specimens. Our findings provide further evidence that the molecular basis of sporadic and familial multiple meningiomas is fundamentally different and extend this dichotomy to pathologic subtypes. DAL-1 does not function as a true tumor suppressor in these patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, East Building 149, 13th Street, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA.
authors.forename: Bianca
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Heinrich
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hartmann
authors.forename: Anat O
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Stemmer-Rachamimov
authors.forename: David N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Louis
authors.forename: Mia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: MacCollin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016543:Central Nervous System Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics*; D002887:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 18; D002892:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 22; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D004262:DNA Restriction Enzymes / Q000494:pharmacology; D005091:Exons; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007438:Introns; D019656:Loss of Heterozygosity; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D008579:Meningioma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics*; D008840:Microfilament Proteins; D025581:Neurofibromin 2 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D018807:Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational; D013997:Time Factors; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: C116887:EPB41L3 protein, human; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D008840:Microfilament Proteins; D025581:Neurofibromin 2; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; D004262:DNA Restriction Enzymes