Assignment of the neurofibromatosis 2 (Nf2) gene to rat chromosome bands 14q21-->q22 by in situ hybridization.

Neurofibromatosis 2, a rare disorder predisposing humans to the development of Schwann cell, meningeal, and glial neoplasms, is caused by a germ line defect in the NF2 tumor suppressor gene (Gusella et al., 1999). NF2 has been mapped to HSA 22q12. The majority of human sporadic schwannomas and meningeomas display mutations in the NF2 gene often accompanied by allelic loss of the other chromosome 22q (Louis et al., 1995). The tumor suppressor function of the NF2 gene product, Merlin, a member of the protein 4.1 superfamily, is not yet understood. The induction of malignant schwannomas in the rat by ethylnitrosourea represents a model for tumorigenesis in the peripheral nervous system (Druckrey et al., 1970). So far it is not known whether inactivation of Nf2 is involved in the generation of these tumors. Here we report the precise chromosome location of the Nf2 gene as a prerequisite for further investigations. Materials and methods