title: Insulin-like growth factor II in the pathogenesis of human neuroblastoma.
abstract: Insulin-like growth factor II (IGF-II) acts as an autocrine growth factor for many in vitro tumor cell lines including neuroblastoma. To examine the role of IGF-II in tumor biology we have analyzed a total of 56 primary neuroblastoma tumor samples for the presence of IGF-II using a combination of mRNA and protein analysis. A group of 21 samples was examined for the presence of IGF-II mRNA by slot blot and a separate group of 37 samples was examined for IGF-II immunoreactivity. IGF-II was detected in 48% of the total tumor specimens analyzed. IGF-II immunoreactivity was observed in cells resembling developing neuroblasts and was confined to the cytoplasm and proximal neurites. The appearance of IGF-II mRNA and protein did not correlate with tumor prognostic features including stage, histology, or N-myc amplification. These data suggest that the expression of IGF-II is not confined to a specific stage of the disease but may have a broader role in the pathogenesis of neuroblastoma.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005784:Gene Amplification / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007223:Infant; D007335:Insulin-Like Growth Factor II / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging / Q000379:methods; D009380:Neoplasms, Nerve Tissue; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm; D007335:Insulin-Like Growth Factor II