The retrospective molecular analysis of large or giant congenital melanocytic nevi in a group of Polish children
Abstract
Background
Large and giant congenital melanocytic nevi (CMN), benign naevomelanocytic proliferations derived from neural crests, with a projected adult size (PAS) ≥ 20 cm, are connected to a high risk of melanoma and neurocutaneous melanosis. Among several factors, genetic alterations seem to be involved in tumorigenesis. The aim of the present study was to analyse the mutation status of NRAS and BRAF genes in resection specimens from large or giant CMN in a group of Polish patients.
Material and methods
The formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded resection specimens from 18 patients, fixed in the years of 2006 to 2017, were included in the study. The regions containing the highest load of melanocytes were macrodissected prior to DNA isolation. The NRAS and BRAF mutation status was evaluated using qPCR.
Results
We detected activating mutations in NRAS gene (codons: 12 and 61) in 7 out of the 18 (38.9%) patients. No BRAF mutations were found.
Conclusion
Our study, the first molecular analysis of large/giant CMN in Polish patients, supports the hypothesis that NRAS mutation in codon 61 are frequent, recurrent mutations in large/giant CMN. Moreover, we show, for the first time, that NRAS mutations in codon 12 (p.Gly12Asp) can be also detected in giant CMN. The exact role of these genetic alterations in CMN formation remains to be elucidated.
© 2021 Katarzyna Wertheim-Tysarowska, Orest Szczygielski, Katarzyna Seliga, Andrzej Tysarowski, Jerzy Bal, Elżbieta Michalak, Agnieszka Magdalena Rygiel, Ewa Sawicka, published by Institute of Mother and Child
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.