Phenotypic diversification in human neuroblastoma cells: Expression of distinct neural crest lineages Journal Article


Authors: Ciccarone, V.; Spengler, B. A.; Meyers, M. B.; Biedler, J. L.; Ross, R. A.
Article Title: Phenotypic diversification in human neuroblastoma cells: Expression of distinct neural crest lineages
Abstract: Previous studies of the human neuroblastoma cell line SK-N-SH had demonstrated the presence of and phenotypic interconversion (transdif-ferentiation) between two morphologically and biochemically distinct cell types: N (neuroblastic) cells with properties of noradrenergic neurons and S (substrate-adherent) cells with properties of melanocytes. Current studies have sought to test the generality of these findings among other cultured human neuroblastoma cell lines and to define further the S-cell phenotype and that of a newly identified, morphologically intermediate, I-type cell. Morphologically homogeneous populations (clonal sublines or subpopulations) of N, S, and I cells were isolated from five additional neuroblastoma cell lines and analyzed biochemically for neuronal, glial, and melanocytic marker enzyme activities and norepineplwine uptake. Immunoblot techniques were used to detect intermediate filament proteins (neurofilament protein, vimendn, glial fibrillary acidic protein) and fibro-nectin. All N-type cells exhibited neuronal marker enzyme activities, specific uptake of norepinephrine, and presence of one or more neurofil-ament proteins. S-type cells generally lacked neuronal characteristics but contained, instead, tyrosinase activity (a melanocytic marker enzyme), vimentin, and fibronectin. This combination of attributes is suggestive of a multipotent embryonal precursor cell of the neural crest. I-type cells differentially expressed both S- and N-cell properties and could represent either a stem cell or an intermediate in the transdifferentiadon process. Studies of the biological significance of human neuroblastoma cell trans-differentiation and the molecular mechanisms underlying this process may be of relevance to the biological and clinical behavior of this tumor in the patient. © 1989, American Association for Cancer Research. All rights reserved.
Keywords: human cell; phenotype; cytology; cell line; glial fibrillary acidic protein; cell differentiation; tumor cells, cultured; cell culture; neuroblastoma; neuroblastoma cell; neural crest; noradrenalin; vimentin; 2',3'-cyclic-nucleotide phosphodiesterases; fibronectins; human; priority journal; support, non-u.s. gov't; support, u.s. gov't, p.h.s.
Journal Title: Cancer Research
Volume: 49
Issue: 1
ISSN: 0008-5472
Publisher: American Association for Cancer Research  
Date Published: 1989-01-01
Start Page: 219
End Page: 225
Language: English
PUBMED: 2535691
PROVIDER: scopus
DOI/URL:
Notes: Article -- Export Date: 14 April 2020 -- Source: Scopus
Citation Impact
MSK Authors
  1. June   Biedler
    83 Biedler
  2. Marian B. Meyers
    29 Meyers