Characterization of the NTRK1 genomic region involved in chromosomal rearrangements generating TRK oncogenes.

TRK oncogenes are created by chromosomal rearrangements linking the tyrosine-kinase domain of the NTRK1 gene (encoding one of the receptors for the nerve growth factor) to foreign activating sequences. TRK oncogenes are frequently detected in human papillary thyroid carcinoma, as result of rearrangements involving at least three different activating genes. We have found that the rearrangements creating all the TRK oncogenes so far characterized fall within a 2.9-kb XbaI/SmaI restriction fragment of the NTRK1 gene. Here we report the nucleotide sequence and the exon organization of this fragment.