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Different regulation of mid-size neurofilament and N-myc mRNA expression during neuroblastoma cell differentiation induced by retinoic acid

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Summary

  1. 1.

    Neuroblastoma (NB) is an unusual neuroectodermal tumor showing a high degree of spontaneous regression. NB cells can be induced to differentiatein vitro by various agents. Cell differentiation results in morphological changes characteristic of the mature neuronal phenotype, including outgrowth of neuritelike structures with several interconnections.

  2. 2.

    Recent experiments indicate that morphological differentiation of NB cells is associated with changes in expression of N-myc, c-myc, and c-myb oncogenes and synthesis of neurofilament proteins. However, little is known about the transcription of neurofilament genes during differentiation.

  3. 3.

    We have analyzed the expression of both the N-myc oncogene and mid-size neurofilament (NF) genes in the LAN-1 human NB cell line, cultured in the presence of retinoic acid (RA). Continuous treatment with RA induced morphological differentiation within 5–6 days. The transcription of N-myc was down-modulated within 24 hr of the initial exposure to RA. The mid-size NF mRNA was increased at this time. The expression of N-myc was not modified in serum-deprived LAN-1 cells, indicating that N-myc transcription is unaffected by the arrest of the cells in the G1 phase.

  4. 4.

    We conclude that new synthesis of mid-size NF mRNA and a decrease in N-myc transcription precedede novo formation of neurite-like processes and morphological cell differentiation of neuroblastoma cells.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pediatric Oncology Research Laboratory, Gaslini Children's Hospital, Genova, Italy

    Daniela Di Martino, Mirco Ponzoni, Paolo Cornaglia-Ferraris & Gian Paolo Tonini

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  1. Daniela Di Martino
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  2. Mirco Ponzoni
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  3. Paolo Cornaglia-Ferraris
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  4. Gian Paolo Tonini
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Di Martino, D., Ponzoni, M., Cornaglia-Ferraris, P. et al. Different regulation of mid-size neurofilament and N-myc mRNA expression during neuroblastoma cell differentiation induced by retinoic acid. Cell Mol Neurobiol 10, 459–470 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00711187

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