title: Effects of gamma-interferon on the growth, morphology, and membrane and cytoskeletal proteins expression of Lan-1 cells.
abstract: The effects of gamma-interferon (gamma-IFN) on the growth, morphology, and phenotypic expression of the human neuroblastoma (NB) cell line, LAN-1, have been extensively tested. Low doses of gamma-IFN allowing more than 90% cell viability induce morphological differentiation and growth inhibition. Cells exposed to gamma-IFN significantly decreased their growth rate, became smaller and poligonal, and sprouted long cellular processes with varicosities along their course, typical of the neurites seen in differentiated NB cells; morphological changes appeared within 48 h of culture with 1,000 U/ml gamma-IFN. The new morphological aspect reached the maximum expression after 6 days of culture, becoming more evident when fresh drug was added after 2 days of culture. A decrease in [3H]thymidine incorporation was also observed within 24 h; cell growth was completely inhibited at the 6th day. Membrane immunofluorescence showed several changes in NB-specific antigen expression after 6 days of treatment with gamma-IFN. At the same time gamma-IFN also modulated cytoskeletal proteins. These findings suggest that noncytotoxic doses of gamma-IFN do promote the differentiation of LAN-1 neuroblastoma cells which is associated with the reduced expression of the malignant phenotype.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Oncology Research Laboratory, G. Gaslini Children's Hospital, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Parodi
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cornaglia-Ferraris
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ponzoni
mesh_terms: D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects*; D002460:Cell Line; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007700:Kinetics; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D009447:Neuroblastoma; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D013936:Thymidine / Q000378:metabolism; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D013936:Thymidine