H-ras-1 point mutation in malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors: polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis and direct sequencing from paraffin-embedded tissues.

It has been shown that the NF1 (neurofibromatosis type 1) gene encodes a tumor suppressor which inactivates ras proteins. Among malignant mesenchymal tumors, H-ras-1 mutations have been found in malignant fibrous histiocytoma, leiomyosarcoma and embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma. However, studies on H-ras-1 mutation of many cases of malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNST) have not been documented. Therefore, we investigated H-ras-1 mutations of MPNST. In 45 cases of MPNSTs of our files, DNA was extracted from the formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue, and the mutations of the H-ras-1 gene were detected by using PCR-RFLP (polymerase chain reaction- restriction fragment length polymorphisms) method and direct sequencing. We found two cases with H-ras-1 point mutation in MPNST for the first time. Both cases showed the same mutation in codon 13.1 [GGT(Gly) to AGT(Ser) transition]. Interestingly, both cases were associated with NF1. It is possibile that the mutation of the H-ras-1 gene occurred after the mutation of the NF1 gene in the MPNST.