title: Coordinate morphological and biochemical interconversion of human neuroblastoma cells.
abstract: This study was undertaken to determine whether the two type of cells (one neuroblast-like and the other epithelial in appearance) of the human neuroblastoma line SK-N-SH in culture undergo morphological interconversion, whether conversion is bidirectional, and whether there are coordinate neurochemical changes. Phenotypic analysis of serially isolated neuroblast clones (SH-SY, SH-SY5, SH-SY5Y) revealed conversion to epithelial-like cells. Conversely, conversion also was promoted from an epithelial-like clone (SH-EP) to neuroblastic subclones. Cell origin could be verified because of a marker chromosome specific to SH-EP. Only neuroblastic subclones of SH-EP contained activities for tyrosine hydroxylase and dopamine-beta-hydroxylase, enzymes unique to catecholamine neurons; epithelial-like cells lacked activities for these enzymes. These findings indicate a coordinate morphological and biochemical interconversion of neuroblastoma SK-N-SH cells and reveal a plasticity in phenotypic expression in malignant neuronal cells.
mesh_terms: D002460:Cell Line; D002999:Clone Cells; D004299:Dopamine beta-Hydroxylase / Q000032:analysis*; D004848:Epithelium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007621:Karyotyping; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009474:Neurons / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010641:Phenotype; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D004299:Dopamine beta-Hydroxylase