Differential expression of two types of the neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) gene transcripts related to neuronal differentiation

Toru Nishi, Polly S.Y. Lee, Koji Oka, Victor A. Levin, Sumio Tanase, Yoshimasa Morino, Hideyuki Saya

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126 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

A 360 residue region encoded by the neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) gene shows significant homology to the catalytic domains of both mammalian GTPase-activating proteins (GAP) and yeast IRA proteins. This GAP-related domain of the NF1 gene (NF1-GRD), like the GAP and IRA protein, has been reported to mediate hydrolysis of Ras-bound GTP to GDP, resulting in inactivation of Ras protein. In the present study, we identified two different types of NF1-GRD cDNA. One (type I) is identical to the previously reported sequence, and the other (type II) contained an additional 63 bp insertion that encodes for a region of 21 amino acids in the center of the NF1-GRO molecule. Alternative splicing is the most likely mechanism by which these two types of transcripts arise. Our observations reveal that the type I transcript is predominantly expressed in undifferentiated cells, whereas the type II transcript predominates in differentiated cells. Furthermore, the expression pattern of type I and type II NF1-GRD mRNA immediately changed in SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells when neuronal differentiation programs were induced by retinoic acid treatment. We propose that the differential expression of type I and type II NF1-GRD transcripts might be an 'on/off' switch that regulates the catalytic activity of the NF1 gene product, which plays an important role in the regulation of neuronal differentiation.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1555-1559
Number of pages5
JournalOncogene
Volume6
Issue number9
Publication statusPublished - 09-1991
Externally publishedYes

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics
  • Cancer Research

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