Brain-derived neurotrophic factor protects neuroblastoma cells from vinblastine toxicity Journal Article


Authors: Scala, S.; Wosikowski, K.; Giannakakou, P.; Valle, P.; Biedler, J. L.; Spengler, B. A.; Lucarelli, E.; Bates, S. E.; Thiele, C. J.
Article Title: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor protects neuroblastoma cells from vinblastine toxicity
Abstract: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its receptors are necessary for the survival and development of many neuronal cells. Because BDNF and TrkB are expressed in many poor-prognosis neuroblastoma (NB) tumors, we evaluated the role of BDNF in affecting sensitivity to chemotherapeutic agents. We investigated the effects of activation of the BDNF-TrkB signal transduction pathway in two NB cell lines, 15N and SY5Y. 15N cells lack the high-affinity receptor p145TrkB and express BDNF; 15N cells were used along with ISN-TrkB cells, a subline transfected with a TrkB expression vector. In cytotoxicity assays, 15N-TrkB cells were consistently 1.4-2-fold more resistant to vinblastine than 15N cells. Drug accumulation assays showed a 50% reduction in [3H]vinblastine accumulation in 15N-TrkB cells compared with control 15N cells. Addition of 30 ng/ml BDNF resulted in a reduction to 46% of control in ISN cells and a reduction to 28% of control in 15N-TrkB cells. SY5Y cells were chosen as a second model because they lack both endogenous BDNF and TrkB expression. p145TrkB expression is induced by 1 nM retinoic acid. Vinblastine accumulation was not significantly affected by 1 nM retinoic acid in SY5Y cells. Addition of 30 ng/ml BDNF decreased [3H]vinblastine accumulation to 58% of control in SY5Y cells and decreased [3H]vinblastine accumulation to 62% of control in TrkB- expressing SY5Y cells. Although an increase in BDNF expression is seen in multidrug-resistant sublines of SY5Y and BE(2)-C NB cells, the protective effect of BDNF in vinblastine toxicity may be unrelated to mdr-1, because the activity of other agents transported by P-glycoprotein was not affected. There was no increase in mdr-1 expression in 1 nM RA SY5Y cells and 15N- TrkB cells, as assessed by Northern blot analysis. In addition to the effects of BDNF on vinblastine cytotoxicity and accumulation, there was an inhibition in the ability of vinblastine to depolymerize tubulin in BDNF- treated cells. Thus, BDNF and TrkB may partially rescue NB cells from vinblastine toxicity and thereby may contribute to a more chemoresistant phenotype.
Keywords: signal transduction; controlled study; human cell; paclitaxel; nerve tissue proteins; antineoplastic agents, phytogenic; drug resistance; tumor cells, cultured; protein tyrosine kinase; vinblastine; drug accumulation; neuroblastoma; neuroblastoma cell; rna, messenger; brain-derived neurotrophic factor; dactinomycin; microtubule assembly; drug cytotoxicity; tubulin; drug sensitivity; retinoic acid; p-glycoprotein; northern blotting; glycoprotein p; tretinoin; humans; human; priority journal; article; brain derived growth factor
Journal Title: Cancer Research
Volume: 56
Issue: 16
ISSN: 0008-5472
Publisher: American Association for Cancer Research  
Date Published: 1996-08-15
Start Page: 3737
End Page: 3742
Language: English
PUBMED: 8706017
PROVIDER: scopus
DOI/URL:
Notes: Article -- Export Date: 22 November 2017 -- Source: Scopus
Citation Impact
MSK Authors
  1. June   Biedler
    83 Biedler