New insights into the molecular basis of spinal neurofibromatosis type 1

Spinal neurofibromatosis (SNF) is a form of neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) characterized by bilateral neurofibromas involving all spinal roots. The pathogenic mechanisms determining the SNF form are currently unknown. To verify the presence of genetic variants possibly related to SNF or classic NF1, we studied 106 sporadic NF1 and 75 SNF patients using an NGS panel of 286 genes encoding RAS pathway effectors and neurofibromin interactors and evaluated the expression of syndecans (SDC1, SDC2, SDC3, SDC4), the NF1 3’ tertile interactors, by quantitative real-time PCR. We previously identified 75 and 106 NF1 variants in SNF and NF1 cohorts, respectively. The analysis of the distribution of pathogenic NF1 variants in the three NF1 tertiles showed a significantly higher prevalence of NF1 3’ tertile mutations in SNF than in the NF1 cohort. We hypothesized a potential pathogenic significance of the 3’ tertile NF1 variants in SNF. The analysis of syndecan expression on PBMCs RNAs from 16 SNF, 16 classic NF1 patients and 16 healthy controls showed that the expression levels of SDC2 and SDC3 were higher in SNF and NF1 patients than in controls; moreover, SDC2, SDC3 and SDC4 were significantly over expressed in patients mutated in the 3’ tertile compared to controls. Two different mutational NF1 spectra seem to characterize SNF and classic NF1, suggesting a pathogenic role of NF1 3’ tertile and its interactors, syndecans, in SNF. Our study, providing new insights on a possible role of neurofibromin C-terminal in SNF, could address effective personalized patient management and treatments.