While the oncogene is expressed in a wide range of NGF producing tissues, it specifically causes the development of either neurofibromas or neurofibrosarcomas similar to those found in the human disease neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1).
If disseminated NF is found to be heterogeneous at a molecular level, more families should be tested to further rule out any role for beta-NGF in this syndrome.
Central and peripheral forms of neurofibromatosis are closely related but discrete diseases which appear to have separate alterations in nerve growth factor activity.