Expression of class I histocompatibility antigens in neuroectodermal tumors is independent of the expression of a transfected neuroblastoma myc gene.
We have evaluated the relationship between the neuronal myc gene (NMYC) and class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC) expression in human neuroblastoma (NB) tumor cell lines. Class I MHC surface Ag expression in NB cell lines varied from nearly undetectable to levels nearly as high as in a lymphoblastoid cell line. Class I MHC mRNA levels in NMYC-amplified NB cell lines were lower than levels observed in single copy NMYC NB cell lines. However, considerable variation in class I MHC surface Ag and mRNA expression was evident in NMYC-amplified cell lines. To determine directly whether NMYC might modulate class I MHC expression in NB, we transfected a plasmid containing a recombinant NMYC gene into two tumor cell lines derived from a NB and a related neuroepithelioma tumor. Constitutive overexpression of the recombinant NMYC gene produced no consistent change in class I MHC surface Ag or mRNA levels. To determine whether class I MHC expression might be developmentally regulated in adrenal medullary cells, the precursor cells of adrenal NB tumors, beta 2-microglobulin expression was measured in fetal and adult adrenal glands. beta 2-Microglobulin expression was not evident in the neuroblasts of a 24-wk-old fetal adrenal gland, whereas beta 2-microglobulin expression was present in the adult adrenal medulla. These data suggest that variation in class I MHC expression among NB cells may reflect the developmental stage at which neuroblasts were arrested during tumorigenesis.
Feltner
D E
DE
Molecular Genetics Section, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892.
Cooper
M
M
Weber
J
J
Israel
M A
MA
Thiele
C J
CJ
D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D002460:Cell Line; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D018241:Neuroectodermal Tumors, Primitive, Peripheral / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D009857:Oncogenes; D014162:Transfection; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology
D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin