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).
Central and peripheral forms of neurofibromatosis are closely related but discrete diseases which appear to have separate alterations in nerve growth factor activity.
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.