ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the genetic etiology for 11 sporadic patients with neurofibromatosis type 1.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Chip targeting capture and high-throughput sequencing were employed to detect potential mutations of NF1 and NF2 genes among the 11 patients. The data was filtered through multiple mutational databases and in-house whole exome sequence database. Sanger sequencing was used for analysis of family members of the patients.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Eleven pathogenic variants were found among the 11 patients, which included two splicing mutations, one missense mutation, two nonsense mutations, and six frame-shifting mutations. None of the mutations was recorded by the public database or the in-house database generated from 1775 samples through whole exome sequencing. None of the unaffected parents carried the same mutation. Seven mutations were associated with neurofibromatosis type 1 previously, while the remaining four were discovered for the first time. Prenatal diagnosis of two high-risk pregnancies suggested that neither fetus has inherited the NF1 mutation from their affected parents.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Identification of causative mutations in patients with sporadic-type neurofibromatosis type 1 has provided a basis for genetic counseling. The four novel mutations have enriched the spectrum of NF1 gene mutations.</p>