Anti-NEFH monoclonal antibody, clone SU-08

Using a candidate gene approach we recently identified frequent methylation of the RASSF2 gene associated with poor overall survival in Ewing sarcoma (ES). To identify effective biomarkers in ES on a genome-wide scale, we used a functionally proven epigenetic approach, in which gene expression was induced in ES cell lines by treatment with a demethylating agent followed by hybridization onto high density gene expression microarrays. After following a strict selection criterion, 34 genes were selected for expression and methylation analysis in ES cell lines and primary ES. Eight genes (CTHRC1, DNAJA4, ECHDC2, NEFH, NPTX2, PHF11, RARRES2, TSGA14) showed methylation frequencies of >20% in ES tumors (range 24-71%), these genes were expressed in human bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSC) and hypermethylation was associated with transcriptional silencing. Methylation of NPTX2 or PHF11 was associated with poorer prognosis in ES. In addition, six of the above genes also showed methylation frequency of >20% (range 36-50%) in osteosarcomas. Identification of these genes may provide insights into bone cancer tumorigenesis and development of epigenetic biomarkers for prognosis and detection of these rare tumor types.

Neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) is an autosomal dominant disease which predisposes to the development of schwannomas, meningiomas, ependymomas, and juvenile cataracts. The NF2 gene (NF2) has recently been isolated and maps to chromosome 22q12 between the loci D22S212 and D22S32. Deletion studies in sporadic and NF2 associated schwannomas and meningiomas, and the presence of inactivating mutations in NF2 in patients suggest that it acts as a tumor suppressor gene. A candidate meningioma gene (MEN) has also been isolated from the same interval. A new highly polymorphic (CA)n marker, D22S268, which maps very near to NF2, has allowed us to identify a kindred with three living affected individuals, where the disease is presumably caused by a large germline deletion. Fluorescence in situ hybridization and pulsed field gel electrophoresis confirm the presence of a 700kb deletion which includes the neurofilament heavy chain subunit gene locus (NEFH), D22S268, NF2 and the putative MEN gene. The absence of meningiomas in this pedigree raises doubts as to the existence of a separate MEN locus in this region. These results support the hypothesis that NF2 results from the inactivation of a tumor suppressor gene on chromosome 22q.