Neurofibromatosis 2 (NF2) is a clinically variable autosomal dominant disorder, caused by mutations in the
NF2 tumor suppressor gene on chromosome 22q12, that predisposes to nervous system tumors and ocular abnormalities. To assess intrafamilial
phenotypic variability, we performed mutation analysis and clinical assessment on two multigeneration NF2 families with five
patients and seven asymptomatic first-degree relatives of patients. One family had a point mutation of agCC→ggCC at position
1447–2 at the exon 13/14 boundary predicted to lead to an altered splice acceptor sequence and exon deletion. The other family
had an insertion of 2 base pairs (TC) at position 761 in exon 8, leading to a frameshift. Both mild and severe phenotypes
occurred in each family, indicating that phenotypic variability in NF2 can be caused by factors other than
NF2 mutations. Genetic counseling of NF2 families should include the possibility that presymptomatic
NF2 mutation carriers can develop a different phenotype than previously diagnosed patients.
Received: 4 January 1996 / Revised: 26 March 1996